Little Sparrow
by itakethewords
Summary: There's a new bird on stage at the Tres Spades auctions and Soryu is now the proud owner. She's somehow managed to make enemies with the head of one of the most dangerous gangs in all of Japan and has the men of the Tres Spades chasing after enemy shadows in order to save themselves. Rated for mentions of assault, etc.
1. The Caged Bird

_**Author's Note:** Hello! My first trip into the world of otome game fanfiction, so be kind. I am no stranger, however, to fanfiction. I've decided to give it a try with the Voltage game _Kissed By the Baddest Bidder_ first. I haven't really found any that have satisfied me with great writing, so I thought I'd put my own out there. Plus, I generally find the MC in these games completely useless, so this is my way of making her like a real girl. Most people know me from _Inception _and _Harry Potter_ fandoms and if you've come across this because of alerts, maybe I'll turn you into Otome-curious? Haha! Please enjoy and leave a review!_

_ I'll maybe post once or twice a week. Maybe biweekly. Just depends. I'm a full time worker and a full time student, so I don't always have a lot of time for fun stuff. Plus, I have a semi-major series in the _Harry Potter _world happening. This will be my outlet when I can't get that story running, I suppose. This plot bunny just fell into my lap and I wanted to see where it took me. And it took me to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party!_

_This story is rated M because of future and past events, plus the sensitive nature that can be described with our heroine's circumstance. Don't expect smut anytime soon. Let's just leave it at that. It will happen. Just not now. I don't know how graphic my story will get. It depends on how much I can handle as I write and what I think it plausible without being ridiculously over dramatic. I don't usually give this kind of warning, but with this story, there is a chance I'll go there._

_Just for those wondering, Soryu is my favorite in this game, followed by Mamoru.:)_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but a head full of plot bunnies._

* * *

_"Fall to your knees_  
_And kiss the ring,_  
_The crowd's rejoicing_  
_All of my dreams_  
_Wake up to despise the world I once loved"  
_**Stall Me** \- Panic! At the Disco

**One.**

I stared ahead at the crowd in front of me, shaking. Hundreds of people seemed to fill this auditorium, their faces covered in fanciful masks protecting their identity. Surrounding me, the golden bars of my cage glinted in the spotlight. Behind me to the left, the man dressed like the Mad Hatter was gleefully chatting, encouraging these finely dressed strangers to bid big-on me.

"Four million, five hundred to bidder number forty-five! Oh, but five million to bidder twelve!"

I almost threw up at the numbers being thrown out. These were people who weren't afraid to pay millions for a person; so just who would end up buying me? I could never hope to make five million in my lifetime!

"Come on, ladies and gentlemen! Just look at this healthy young woman! She could fit just about any purpose! She seems docile enough!"

The Mad Hatter approached my cage, microphone in hand, and reached in to pet my head. However, before he could touch me, I slapped his hand away and glared.

"OHO! This bird's beak is sharp! And nine million back from bidder forty-five!"

The crowd seemed to get excited that I showed emotion other than fear and the noise in the room rose to twice the chaotic din. The Mad Hatter left me and walked around the stage, exciting the crowd up, bringing the bids up to eleven million before the money seemed to lose power and stalled. Then,

"Fifteen million from bidder one hundred!"

The crowd hushed for a heartbeat before the new, louder noise seemed to swallow my panicked gasps to even my own ears. Not sure what good it would do, I stood in the domed cage and grasped the bars so tight, my knuckles turned white. My eyes searched out across the auditorium, looking for anyone who could see the plea in my eyes, the fear I had at how tonight would turn out.

"Sixteen million to forty-five!"

"Seventeen million to one hundred!"

"Twenty-five million to forty-five!"

"Fifty million to one hundred!"

The Mad Hatter called for any alternative bids, when no one else seemed to put in, the face-painted man happily banged his gavel on his podium and declared,

"SOLD! One young woman to seat one hundred for fifty million dollars!"

Two large men came on stage and wheeled my cage from the center of the stage, causing me to wobble and fall to my knees. In shock, I stared at the ground as they took me backstage to a holding area for what looked like auctioned items. I wasn't there alone long before one of the big men came up and stood in front of the cage door.

"Perk up, buttercup. Your new owners are here to get you." The man chuckled at his joke and unlocked the door. Immediately, before I could move, he reached for my handcuffed hands and tugged me out. I stumbled out, caught at the step down, and righted myself as I glared at the rough man.

"I think we came for a lady but are leaving with a shrew, Baba."

I whipped my head around and saw the two men the man was talking about, side by side, in masks, and grinning. The shorter one stage whispered to the man in a red blazer, and in turn, the other shushed him.

"Now, now. She's a lady. Take the handcuffs off her, Gomo. We can handle her from here."

A few minutes of hushed conversation between the three men, and I found myself nestled between the two newcomers, their arms linked with mine. They led me out of the back and to an elevator out of the way and far from the auditorium. They made small talk with one another, seemingly oblivious to my inner turmoil over the night's events. I knew my face held a deep frown and I could feel my eyes prickle with the possibility of tears, however, I kept quiet and focused on my tops of my shoes.

Eventually, the elevator softly indicated we'd arrived at their desired floor and they led me down the richly decorated hallway to a large set of double doors. The taller man, Baba, looked down at me and winked.

"We're home, pretty lady!"

"Baba, come on already! Eisuke's waiting. No good keeping Boss waiting." The other man tugged on my right arm and lead me through the doors first.

Baba sighed. "You're no fun, Ota."

The two brought me in what looked to be an over the top common lounge, complete with a wall sized tv hanging on the wall. The auction, still happening, was muted and playing live on screen.

The door behind us shut with a click and the two, Baba and Ota, joined the others in the room, smiles nearly reaching their masks and each taking a seat in the chairs in the room. The other three in the room also wore masks, two of whom were sitting on the couch in the middle of the room. The third was staring out the window, puffing on a cigarette looking bored. One of the men sitting on the couch, clad in what looked like an expensive business suit, stood and walked to stand in front of me, his eyes stared down at me coldly. Instinctively, I shrank away and flinched, which made him click his tongue.

"We just bought you for fifty million dollars. I suggest you get used to having us around."

"Who just bought her, Eisuke?" The other man on the couch glared and crossed his arms.

Eisuke just shrugged. "Fine. Soryu bought you, which means pigs will fly tomorrow." He took off his mask and I found myself staring at the face of one of the coldest men I had ever met. He grinned stiffly at me. "You belong to Soryu now, I suggest you go to your new master."

"Boss, do you really need to be like that? She wouldn't be happy to see you like this," Baba spoke up, taking his mask off as well. This man smiled much more genuinely at me, winking once more. "Can you imagine what Haruka would say if she was here tonight?"

Eisuke sighed, glanced once more at me, then glared at Baba as he went back to the couch. "You're a pain in the ass, Baba."

The two lightheartedly seemed to argue over me and over this girl, Haruka, seemingly having forgotten my actual existence. My eyes darted across the room to the others; the smoker barely glanced my way the entire time, Ota had his attention on the other two, and the man who apparently bought me-Soryu-was staring at me unhappily. Starting seeing his eyes meet mine, I shrunk in on myself a little, afraid to speak.

Abruptly, Soryu stood and grabbed me by the wrist. I let out a small whimper, but let him drag me out of the room and back into the hallway. He didn't say a word or look my way as he took me to one of the other doors in the hall and shoved me inside. Darkness surrounded me until he turned on the light switch and I found myself standing in a smaller, personal living room. Soryu snapped his fingers at me, making me jump. When I swung my head around to look at him, he pointed to the couch and motioned for me to sit.

He disappeared into a different room, affording me a moment to get my bearings and see where I was. The room was lavishly decorated, making me think of a penthouse. One whole wall was full of windows, showing the city outside. The view made me gasp in shock; the lights reflecting off the water were breathtaking. I was drawn from the seat despite the command to sit and pressed my forehead against the glass. This was the first view of the outside that I had seen in almost three months.

"Are you that impressed by such simple things? It's only Tokyo."

The man was back, holding a first aid kit and a piece of paper in his hands. I jumped and spun around, ready to curl up if he decided to punish me for disobeying. He ignored by outward show of fear and jerked his chin back to the couch. I immediately sat back down and waited for him to speak.

"Your wrist. It's sprained, isn't it?" Seeing my confused look, he elaborated. "I noticed that noise you made when I grabbed it, and it looks swollen."

Despite the severe look his face held, his touch was surprisingly gentle as he held my wrist in one hand and fumbled with the first aid kit in the other. Watching him struggle a moment, I decided to grab hold of the bandage he was trying to unroll and acted as a much needed second hand. When he started to roll it loosely, I whispered,

"It has to be tighter…"

He paused, which made me tense up. But instead of reacting to my first words like I expected, he began again.

"Let me know if this is too tight."

When he finished, he silently packed away the unused materials and sat the box aside. I held my wrist close to my chest, the pain I'd barely been aware of in the doldrum of the evening lessened.

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is you...Natsumi Takara."

The paper he'd brought into the room earlier was face down on the coffee table. However, he flipped it over to show a young woman, aged about twenty-four, standing proudly outside a home with a diploma in her hand and her mother next to her. Her wildly curly hair was caught as it blew in the breeze, the shades of brown caught the sunlight; her eyes were the color of whiskey and caught in a smile.

This was me. I had graduated that morning, four years before.

I was shocked he made the connection, since I looked nothing like that now.

I nodded and weakly answered, "Yes."

"Missing for four months, no notes to speak of according to family or police. Nothing suspicious in social media, workplace, or usual haunts. No ransom demands, no threats. It was almost as if you existed, then didn't." Soryu read from a small piece of paper that he pulled from his breast pocket, then glanced up at me. Tossing the paper on the table, he leaned back in his seat and added, "I'm assuming, based on bidder forty-five, that you ran away from someone or were stolen away? Selling humans is tricky and we require permission from said person as well as the seller."

The air between us was thick, tight with the ambiguity that he was leading towards. I kept my eyes trained on the ground and just waited.

"Bidder forty-five is from a rival gang of my own. He is a higher up in the echelon of the Osiris Brethren, which is impressive for a girl like you to get caught up in. I was quite happy to take away something that he wanted so badly. But I would like to know just what I paid fifty million for."

"I was the play toy of Ren Souma the last four months. His father, Taichi, decided it was time for me to go. So he wanted me dead. His grunts got greedy and put me in your auctions." My voice was quiet, but the room was quieter. The bitterness was unmistakable in my voice. When I looked up, Soryu was trying hard to disguise the look of surprise on his face.

"Souma? You had a position with the heir to the Osiris Brethren but irritated the boss? How stupid can you get?"

I flinched, but snapped, "I was kidnapped. I met Ren ONCE, then he decided he liked me and wanted me. So he STOLE me from my house and held me CAPTIVE! I had no ties to yakuza like Taichi wanted, so he wanted me gone before Ren was irresponsible and get me pregnant!" I took a deep breath and continued. "He told his lapdog to throw me in the ocean but that asshole is greedier than Ren, and cut off all my hair to DISGUISE ME, which is completely stupid, then quickly put me up for auction. SO THANKS. You paid that dirtbag fifty million."

Soryu blinked quickly, not expecting my outburst. I hadn't expected it myself, and it exhausted me. I slumped back on the couch and hid my face in the cushion. I tried to take deep, calming breaths with varying levels of success.

"Well, Natsumi. Regardless, you'll be here now unless you can pay me back what I spent. Enjoy your last night as Natsumi Takara; tomorrow, I want you to pick a new name. Your old life is done. Your life truly begins tomorrow." Soryu stood and looked down on my huddled frame.

"I don't think I need to tell you what would happen to you if you tried to escape from the penthouse? Don't try it. Don't you dare tell anyone about the auctions, or your life really will end all together." He walked away from the living room and paused outside a door. "You can sleep in the other bedroom in this suite, there's a bathroom there too. Never come in my room."

I poked my head up long enough to glare at him as he spoke. "Who are you?"

"I'm Soryu Oh. Leader of the Ice Dragons and I own you. Welcome to the Tres Spades."

This was the day my life and story ended.

When morning came, our story began.


	2. Fortunate

_**Author's Note:** Chapter two! I do have readers out there, I see you all in my stats! That's awesome, so thank you! I'm having fun with this side project, so everyone stick with me! _

_**Disclaimer**: I own my own plot bunnies on a farm. KBTBB is owned by Voltage!_

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_"If we're keeping score_  
_We're all choir boys at best_  
_(Intrusive and arrogant)"_

**Liar (Takes One To Know One)** \- Taking Back Sunday

**Two.**

"Soryu…."

"Soryu?"

"Sor-"

"What?!"

The man ended a call on his phone, and whipped his head around, irritated. He was poised to reach for his hidden gun, warning Baba who stood in Soryu's path to the lounge. The mobster had just left his room, locking the door and pocketing the key, all while talking quietly on the phone.

Baba blinked, startled that he actually answered, but quickly shook it off and smiled. "How's your new toy? What's her name? Can I borrow her?" He followed Soryu as he walked out of the hallway to to the lounge, not put out in the least that he was being ignored.

"Mind your own business, Baba."

"But you're keeping her up here, right? We'll run into her, so we should know her name. I can't just say, 'Hey you! Come here!' Can I?"

The two men walked into the lounge, finding a tired Mamoru Kishi reading the morning paper and Eisuke Ichinomiya typing away furiously on his laptop. Ota, it seemed, was going to be the last to arrive. Which was typical given he had the hardest time waking up in the mornings and was the least pleasant at that time, as well. Soryu poured himself a cup of coffee from the carafe available on the table and sat, waiting for Eisuke to finish up his business before they began their post-auction morning. A deflated Baba huffed and threw himself in an armchair opposite of the mobster.

"I hope you don't think that locking the door will keep me away from meeting her properly, Sor." Baba grinned over his own cup.

Soryu sighed. "I locked it mostly to keep her in, not you out. That would be beyond pointless."

"Speaking of her," Eisuke said, shutting his computer with a snap, "Care to elaborate why you bought a woman? I didn't think that was your taste, Soryu." He grinned at his old friend.

"Perhaps Soryu found love at first sight, seeing her in that cage?" Ota called, walking in the door with a yawn. His grin was thin as he sat next to Kishi and watched his reaction.

Soryu rolled his eyes and sat his cup down in front of him. "The woman is a pawn. I managed some information out of her last night, but I knew she would be valuable when I saw who really wanted to win her."

Eisuke chuckled. "Just what kind of woman did you buy?"

"I'm not sure what I want to do with her yet. But she unintentionally has ties to the Osiris Brethren. I'm looking to squeeze them out of Tokyo, so we'll see where this goes."

Ota yawned again. "Borrrring. What's her name?"

Soryu frowned. "She doesn't have one yet."

The other four men blinked simultaneously, shocked.

Kishi looked out from behind his paper, "Whaddya mean she doesn't have a name yet?" His voice was full of incredulousness, his eyebrows raised high.

"In order to do what I need, I am erasing her old name from her identity. I haven't picked a new name for her and she isn't awake yet, so I can't ask her what she wants to be called." He took another sip of coffee. "Other than the six of us, I don't see anyone else meeting her any time soon. So what difference does it make?"

"Six?" Kishi echoed.

"Haruka. She's gonna have something to say about this one, Boss." Baba smirked behind his hand, glancing over to Eisuke.

Eisuke narrowed his eyes at Baba. "She won't be back from visiting her family for another week. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Anyway," Soryu said, clearing his throat to get them back on track. "I would appreciate if, until I say so, none of you let her out of my suite. I know I can't keep most of you out, but my goal is to keep her in until I can trust her." He made to pull the gun from his breast pocket, causing them all to cry out in alarm. "I'm serious about this."

Shaking his head, Eisuke turned to Baba. "Enough about Soryu's woman. What do the final numbers from last night look like, Baba? Other than Soryu's fifty mil?" He added the last bit with a smirk.

Baba reached for a folder in front of him and flipped through some papers, skimming over the lists. "Well, looks like we made a definite profit. Adding Soryu's surprise purchase, but not including the entrance fees, we saw a total of $2.6 billion spent. With entrance fees, $2.9 billion. Our final income after paying sellers, $1.5 billion even." He read off the numbers quickly, but efficiently, eyes darting across the rows. "Highest item was the national secrets of Israel at just under $200 million, followed by the real Mona Lisa at $150 million and Soryu's woman at $50 million. Lowest items were a kidney and liver set for $10 thousand, the blueprints to a car with one hundred miles to the gallon for $100 thousand, and property next to the White House in America for $205 thousand. Only one winner was unable to pay. He will not be returning to the auctions. Two of us made purchases; Soryu, obviously, and Mamo-chan."

Eisuke nodded, seemingly satisfied. "A good night. What did you buy, Kishi?"

Kishi took a drag of the cigarette he'd lit while Baba read. "Warehouse."

Nodding, satisfied with the curt answer, Eisuke stood and addressed the others. "Final night of the I.V.C. tonight. Though I hate to say it, the majority of us should make an appearance. Soryu isn't the only one with plans. Dates optional, of course. Why not bring your songbird, Soryu?"

"Songbird? I think you misunderstand that woman. She isn't for show, Eisuke."

Eisuke just shrugged and pulled his cellphone from his pocket. "If no one else has anything to add, I'll see you all tonight." No one said anything, so he went back up to the 52nd floor to make his call.

Seemingly following his lead, Soryu stood and headed for the door, ready to pick up where he left off on his own phone call before Baba interrupted him. However, he wasn't out of the lounge before he sighed and said,

"If you want to talk to her, I will bring her to the lounge before we go down tonight. For now, I need to go over the rules. I don't think you all want her spilling secrets?"

He could feel the three behind him deflate and sit back down. They were so predictable, even the slacker. He slammed the door and redialed his cell. "Inui, I need to you to meet me in my suite as soon as you can. I have a job for you…" He trailed off, his figure frozen upon opening the door to the woman peeking around the corner of the room, hair dripping wet. "Wha-..."

"Sir?! Sir? You still there? Sirrrrr?"

Soryu slammed his door shut and crossed his arms, taking in the situation in front of him.

Shyly, she came around the corner in a towel, looking down at the ground. "I...I don't have any clothes other than what I was bought in."

Soryu blinked, letting her words soak in. He shook his head and rubbed his forehead tiredly. He hadn't thought about things like clothing and personal items. She wasn't a self-sufficient machine or gadget, she was going to have maintenance and needs. This is why women were such a pain.

"Go to your room. Let me go get you something," he barked, pointing for her to go. He only felt a little guilty when she jumped and skittered off and out of sight. He let out another sigh and felt what seemed to be a bag of bricks lifted off his chest. He spun around and went back to the penthouse to ask Eisuke for a favor.

"You want what?"

Soryu's eye twitched. He knew Eisuke was enjoying this from the gleam in his eye and the wide smirk on his face. The man was close to actually laughing.

"I need some of Haruka's clothes for the woman. I can't have her trapezing around naked."

"Why not go down to the boutiques and let her pick things out?"

"Again. I can't let her wander around naked. Just one outfit so I can take her down there before my meetings later."

Yes, his friend was enjoying this way too much.

Finally, Eisuke nodded. "I'll go grab something, hold on. I'm sure she has something I've grown tired of." He left the room and went to the bedroom where his girlfriend kept a small stash of clothes for when he kept her there overnight.

"You're a saint, Eisuke." Soryu muttered sarcastically.

"Damn straight, Oh." Eisuke threw some garments at Soryu. "Put whatever you buy her on my tab. Call it a welcome gift for your pet. Plus, a thank you for a reason to get rid of that sweater of Haruka's I hate."

Five minutes later, Soryu stormed into his suite and knocked on the woman's door. "I, um, I have clothes for you." The second he got to her door, his vigor left him, and he found himself rubbing the back of his neck self consciously.

Slowly, the door cracked open and he saw her small face peek out. Noiselessly, she reached a hand out for the clothes and withdrew back to the room. The air rushing out of her room blew in his face and he was caught up in the smell of his own shampoo. Sighing, he realized that was something else he was going to have to get for her. Though it meant she'd gone into his area, he would let it slide this once. He'd still bring it up, though. Taking his thoughts away from her, there was a knock on his suite door, drawing him back to the living room.

"Sir?"

"Enter."

Ryosuke Inui entered Soryu's suite and gave a respectful bow."Everything okay, sir? Our call ended strangely."

"It's fine. Sit." Soryu sat across from Inui and pulled out a small envelope from his breast pocket. "I need you to look into the contents of this envelope, Inui. The name Natsumi Takara, as much as you can that matters about her. Then, using as much caution as possible, look into Ren and Taichi Souma. They're Osiris, so watch yourself."

Inui looked down at the envelope with a serious face, listening intently. "Anything in particular for the Soumas?"

"General information not known to the public but well known for us. And any and all connections to her, plus the Tres Spades and the Ice Dragons. Anything that rings alarms, add that and let me know immediately." He slid the package to Inui and stood, walking over to the window to watch the bay. "While it may not seem important, I need this before the end of the week. It's Sunday now, so you have until next Sunday at the latest." Soryu paused, watching Inui's reaction in the reflection, but stiffened when he heard the bedroom door open the the soft footsteps of movement.

"Um, excuse me?"

"Sir, I didn't know you had company! I'll just go-"

"Sit, Inui!" The boy sat, obedient. Pointing to the woman, he barked, "You, sit." He pointed to the couch next to Inui.

She didn't jump as high as before, but she did slink to the couch, with a bit of petulance compared to Inui. Soryu noted that she was probably getting used to the barking of orders. He took note of the clothes that she'd put on, the cast offs that Eisuke had given of Haruka's wardrobe. She wore black leggings and a shirt that seemed just a little too short. He noted that she'd opted against the sweater that Eisuke hated. _She'll need a larger size, she's taller. And she looks like she dug from the back of a closet. Eisuke won't let her stay here looking like that._

Sighing, Soryu introduced Inui to the situation. "This is the woman I mentioned. However, for my purposes and for safety, I have told her she can no longer go by that name. She will be staying here in my suite until further notice."

Inui glanced at the woman sitting next to him. She'd drawn in on herself, her legs folded up under her chin, arms hugging them close. Her eyes were sharp dancing between the two, her hair was damp, curls cut haphazardly. He thought it almost looked like he'd given her a haircut, which was to say terrible. Like someone had taken dull shears and chopped away.

"Do you have a name picked out?" Inui asked her, tilting his head to the side.

She shrugged. "I suppose I belong to you, Mr Oh. Do you have a name for me?" Her voice was quiet, but Soryu could detect a bit of sarcasm. He rolled his eyes.

"I don't, mostly because I don't care. I just don't want to call you 'woman' or 'hey you', so pick a damn name already."

"Suzumi."

Both she and Soryu looked at Inui, surprised.

"Suzumi...works," she said, biting her lip.

"Suzumi...Fukui!"

"What's so fortunate?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"You live with Mr Oh! He's a great man! You're a very lucky woman!" Inui smiled big and clapped her on the shoulder jovially. He didn't see her flinch when he hit her, but Soryu's sharp eyes took in everything.

"Fine. Your name now is Suzumi Fukui," Soryu nodded, that business complete. "Add getting some documentation made for her with that name. Date of birth….today, age 28. Brown eyes and hair, five foot and eight inches, one hundred and…" he paused, sizing her up, "twelve pounds." She didn't make any objections when he mentioned her weight, though to be honest, he was being generous. He assumed she was kept on a short leash in every way when she was with Souma. She was on the rather thin side for her height and looked malnourished and pale.

"Inui, grab a piece of paper and a pen. Suzumi, I need you to make a list of all the personal items you will need for the time being. We can always get more, but everything you can think of for now. Shampoo, soap, a hairbrush. Anything but clothes. Inui can pick them up for you and bring them back here."

Soryu watched as Inui kindly handed her the tools and she sat, hunched over the paper scribbling things she thought she would need. The two talked over the things she might need, noting how she laughed at his embarrassment over some items.

"But, do you really need that?!"

"Not today, but eventually! Sorry!"

Inui sighed but took her list with a smile. Looking up, me made eye contact with his boss. "Anything else until I come back, sir?"

Soryu shook his head. "No. Get her items, drop them off, then work on what I asked you to. Report back in the morning, unless something comes up." He glanced at Suzumi. "If we're not here when you come back, just leave them here on the couch. She can put them away afterwards."

He ignored her look of surprise and saw Inui out, the door clicking shut. It was only ten am, but he was near exhausted. He didn't know how to handle Inui's desperate look of embarrassment over the list, let alone the female herself.

"Are...are we going somewhere?"

When he came back to the sitting area, she was standing, self consciously pulling at the hem of the shirt she wore. He nodded and picked up his cell phone from the couch. "You need clothes. I'm taking you downstairs to get some. Let's go."

Suzumi nodded and ran to the room to grab the slip on shoes Eisuke had given her. Soryu internally winced when he saw they were also too small for her. She was a good five or six inches taller than Haruka, which meant a completely different size in just about everything, he supposed.

Before he opened the door to the hallway, he stared her down, satisfied when she shrank back. "You are about to enter public space at the casino. Guests of all kinds will be there. You are not to mention how you came to be here, including but not limited to the auction. You do not mention who I am when it comes to the Ice Dragons, nor my gun. Yes I have a gun, so don't get ideas. Do not try to run, your life here will be much better than anything that waits for you outside the casino. That may or may not include Souma finding you and finishing the job himself. You need to be presentable, as you are technically a guest of this hotel as well. In fact, you are a guest of mine, which means you are a guest of Eisuke Ichinomiya, the owner. There is a level of expectation with that title. Act appropriately, dress appropriately, talk appropriately and everything will be fine. If you do anything I have told you to avoid, you will be ended. The only thing I can promise you if it comes to that is that I am kinder than Souma. And remember, your name is Suzumi Fukui. Are we clear?"

Suzumi blinked and nodded, eyes wide.

"Oh, and if any of the guys from last night find us, they are my friends. Treat them as you would friends, please. Except the slacker. He's not worth your breath."

"Slacker?"

"You'll notice him. Let's go."


	3. Pet Care

**Author's Note:** _Hi there! I left this story to bake over the holidays and am back to update! I saw a lot of reviews and got a lot of PMs and saw a lot of people favorite this story, which makes me happy. So thanks to everyone who's reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! Reviews encourage me to write! I'm hoping to keep a couple chapters ahead from the ones I post, that way I can keep track of the story. I think I'm currently writing chapter 6..._

_Just as a reminder, I work full time and go to school full time, so writing fanfiction is a luxury hobby. I also have a Harry Potter series that I write. Plus, I'm doing ComicCon next weekend in Dallas, so I hope to maybe update in three weeks? Sound fair? (PS, if any of you are going to ComicCon, find me. You can PM me for clues.)_

_Stick with me, the story gets better here on out. Happy reading!_

**Disclaimer**_: I own nothing except the original characters. KBTBB is owned by Voltage, Inc._

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_"You saw me lost and treading water,_  
_I looked pathetic,_  
_I looked as helpless as a stinger without a bee."_  
**Circles** \- Incubus

**Three.**

The ride down to the common floors was quiet, Suzumi watching the world outside through the glass walls and Soryu keeping an eye on everything else. He was well aware of her fascination with the outside world, at this point. She'd shown it the night before when he'd left her alone and she saw the city from his windows. She mentioned in her rant how she hadn't been allowed outside, either. Information noted and saved for later. The elevator made a soft noise and the doors slid open, revealing hotel guests walking left and right.

"Come," he said briskly, grabbing her unwrapped wrist and tugging her along to the boutiques. Surprisingly, she followed without a word. When he glanced at her face, he saw she was taking in the atmosphere, eyes darting everywhere. The moment they got to the first shop, the doors were shut and the staff greeted them as a unit.

"Welcome, Mr Oh! We've been waiting for you!"

Soryu looked at them, confused. "What do you mean?"

The manager of the shop stepped forward. "Mr Ichinomiya asked any of the shops to close up for you and your guest as you came along so that you could shop in private. You can both take the time that you need without other people being here."

Next to him, he could feel Suzumi let out a breath and her whole body relax. When he looked down at her, he saw her shoulders slump slightly, losing the tension she'd been carrying as they walked around, and a small smile appear on her face. He tilted his head in thought.

"Suzumi, go with them, get whatever you want. When you're done, we'll move on."

He let go of her wrist and sat down on a chair near the dressing rooms, picking up the day's paper and began to read.

Suzumi looked to the manager and shrugged. "Show me what you have, I guess?"

"Right this way, miss!"

About forty minutes past when Soryu heard, "I'm done." He almost hadn't heard it, it was said so quietly. He looked past the paper and saw Suzumi standing in front of him, two bags in her hands.

"You're not wearing the new clothes?" he asked, confused. He didn't think she actually liked those rags she had on from Haruka's cast offs.

She looked down at the bags and shrugged. "The close here are super nice. Maybe if we find something a little more casual?"

Soryu nodded and stood, taking the bags from her hands before she could protest. He may hate women, but he wasn't rude. He liked to think himself somewhat a gentleman. As they walked out, one of the sales clerks called out,

"Come back anytime, Miss Suzumi!"

Suzumi walked right past the next to shops, which were jewelry in stock, refusing flat out when Soryu pointed, showing the first true look at her stubborn nature. The next store featured more clothing, still 'fancy' according to Suzumi. Though thanks to the help, she managed another two bags. Another boutique found clothing more to whatever she was looking for. They spent over an hour there, Soryu keeping an eye on the staff and the exits. He caught glimpses of Suzumi as she'd walk out of the dressing room in her old shirt, but a new pair of pants, looking for a different top or vice versa.

He knit his brows in confusion at the look on her face. Most women seemed to love shopping, more than he loved his detective novels. Their faces would typically be full of joy and smiles; Suzumi's, however, just looked frustrated. Perhaps even worried. Thinking over the situation, he rationalized that she probably saw the price tags on the clothing. The cost didn't matter to him, Eisuke said he'd foot the bill. He found the cost of these clothes a good start to payback for all the grief he'd get over this woman.

When they were ready to leave, she was wearing more comfortable looking purple tights, a simple knee length black dress, and a purple cardigan. She still had on the too small shoes, which made him angry for some reason. He wanted her to have good shoes and told her as such. Their next stop was the shoe store where he had a hand in picking some out. Suzumi had wanted to stop at three; one pair of slip ons, one pair of sneakers, and one pair of dress shoes. However, Soryu had also made her choose pairs of boots, more slip ons and flats, sneakers, and even picked out dress shoes she couldn't possibly hope to walk in or even have something to wear them with. When she protested, he said,

"Buy it while you can, Eisuke is paying for it, so what do I care?" He sent the many pairs of shoes and all the previous bags up to the room, asking an attendant to deliver them there while they continued to shop. He sent her in alone to the next store, flat out refusing to enter with her. When she went in and when she came out, she could have sworn he was flush from the neck up. When she smiled at the embarrassed look on his face, he frowned and took her to one last boutique.

"The salon?" Suzumi looked up at Soryu curiously.

"If you hadn't noticed, that grunt did a disservice to your head when he cut off your curls. They can even it out a bit so it doesn't look like it got caught in a lawn mower."

She reached up and fingered her hair gingerly in thought. "Can I change whatever I want about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno, the color or straighten it or…"

Soryu waved his hand at the salon. "Do what you want."

Soryu found himself stuck in the salon for three hours while the staff worked on Suzumi. When he asked, an hour in, they told him Mr Ichinomiya had requested the full service package for Soryu's guest, which included a manicure and pedicure. Soryu vowed to drag the woman into the jewelry stores and make her buy the ridiculous baubles there to spite Eisuke. The waiting area was just as luxurious as it could get, being at the Tres Spades, however he still had better things to do than waiting on a woman and he was getting restless. He already had to reschedule his meeting with his subordinates for evening, after he finished at the hotel's I.V.C. Not to mention they'd missed lunch and it was closing in close to dinner time.

In the salon, Suzumi thought about what she wanted to do with her hair as they worked on her toes and hands. She was surprised when they sat her in a chair and gently began buffing and filing away, but found most of the actions soothing. She'd almost forgot what it was like to be normal, and this had been one of the things she'd done occasionally with friends. Though, certainly not at such a high end place like this. Most of the time, it was at home or in the dorms when they didn't have school work.

"Which color, Miss Suzumi?" The woman working on her hands showed her a catalog of nail color. Surprised at the selection, she felt a little overwhelmed.

"Uh, surprise me? Just, no pink or red, please?"

"Of course!"

While they clipped away at her hair, she stared down at her cobalt blue nails. She'd never had blue nails before, and she was finding that she liked it.

"What would you like to do with your hair? How about relaxing it straight?"

Suzumi was about to say yes, when she was struck with a thought,

"_If you hadn't noticed, that grunt did a disservice to your head when he cut off your curls. They can even it out a bit so it doesn't look like it got caught in a lawn mower."_

She thought about the random comment Soryu had said outside the salon before they'd come in.

"..._that grunt did a disservice to your head when he cut off your curls."_

Thinking, she blurted, "No! Can I...Can we just make it look nice? I've never had short hair before…"

"Certainly!" The hairdresser happily went to work reworking the botched job on Suzumi's head. When she seemed to be almost done, she asked her, "Where did you get your gorgeous curls? It's kind of rare for a girl here to have them!"

Suzumi didn't know how to answer without breaking any of the rules Soryu had set for her. However, mentioning some aspects of her family hadn't been on the list. "My grandfather. He came from America during the war and married my grandmother. They stayed in Japan, and I ended up with his hair and eyes."

"No wonder you're so cute! You've got a little mixed blood! I love your eyes, too, by the way!"

When she was done, the staff gave her a gift basket full of product, which Suzumi asked them if they'd send it up to Soryu's suite. They happily obliged, tittering about how lucky she was to be staying with 'the gorgeous but scary Mr Oh!' When their backs were turned, she rolled her eyes at their naivety. They all seemed like a nice bunch, however they all liked to kiss a little too much butt for her tastes.

Eventually, she wandered over to the waiting area to find Soryu, clearing her throat to get his attention. "I'm ready to go."

Soryu threw down the book he was reading, about as ready to leave as her. When he looked up at her as he stood, he lost his balance and fell back in the seat. Panicked, Suzumi reached out to help him.

"Are you okay? Did you slip?"

Soryu waved her hand away and stood fluidly this time, giving her head a once over.

"I thought you'd be coming out in red hair or something," he commented, brushing off the dust from his suit.

"I changed my mind. I got about as wild as the nail polish color. At least that isn't hard to change." She looked down at her hands and wiggled her fingers. "Do I at least look like I won against the lawn mower this time?"

Nervously, she ran her hand through the more even curls. Four months ago, she had a mane of curls down her back, but now, she had a short bob, ending at her ears. She felt more naked now than before when the money hungry asshole had cut all her hair off. However, she felt better knowing she'd made the style choice this time.

Soryu seemed to glare at her hair, which made her want to shrink back, but she resisted most of the urge. She relaxed when his eyes seemed to lose their severity and he muttered,

"Sure. Curls are great. Let's go."

He grabbed her wrist and took her back to one of the jewelry stores and told her they weren't leaving until she had picked out at least six things. The more she picked out, the quicker they could leave. In the end, Soryu got his way and they were out in under twenty minutes.

Soryu noted how, over the time spent shopping, Suzumi seemed to relax. However, each time they left a shop, her anxiety seemed to rise and her body tensed. Perhaps her time with the Soumas was more damaging than he thought, it was something he would need to look into. As they were about to step into the VIP elevator to return to the suite, the doors opened up to reveal Eisuke and Ota, who stopped their chat when they noticed Suzumi and Soryu.

"Oh, Soryu and his woman." Eisuke grinned, taking in the sight. The girl looked much more put together than she had the night before, when she had been dragged in the lounge by Ota and Baba. Soryu had even managed to dress her decently; he knew there was a dress code at the hotel and Soryu was a stickler for the rules, after all.

"Suzumi, this is Eisuke Ichinomiya and Ota Kisaki. They're some of the men from the lounge last night." Soryu introduced her to the two, and watched as she bowed her head.

"Hello."

"Your pet has good manners, Soryu!" Ota grinned and pet Suzumi on the head,

Soryu coughed to cover up the laugh that bubbled up at the look in her face over Ota touching her hair. Thinly veiled mutiny. He was glad she had enough sense not to talk back right now in the middle of the casino.

"She's not a pet, Ota."

Ota ignored him and ran his hands through her hair, "She's soft and fluffy. I like her!"

Before Suzumi could snap at him, a rumbling interrupted, causing all four to pause. Immediately, her cheeks turned red and she closed her eyes.

"Sor, did you not feed your pet? That's rule number one in ownership!" Ota pulled his hands away from Suzumi's hair and put them on his hips.

"Were you planning on starving her? I'll say, she's already on the thin side," Eisuke added, frowning.

Soryu looked down sharply at her, asking, "Why didn't you say you were hungry? You haven't eaten since breakfast right?"

Suzumi seemed to once more shrink in on herself and avoided eye contact with him. Softly, but firmly, she said, "I didn't eat breakfast. I didn't know I was allowed to or how to obtain it."

Staring down at her in surprise, Soryu was once again taken back by how much he'd forgotten when it came to taking care of someone. Next to him, Eisuke crossed his arms, frown deepening. "Soryu…"

"You didn't think to say something, not eaten all day, Suzumi?" Ota asked, curious.

Suzumi took a deep breath, looking upward. "I haven't eaten in three days. Not since I was with Ren."

"Who…"

"Let's go," Soryu grabbed her wrist and pushed her into the elevator. Quickly, he swiped his card and ignored the confused and shocked faces of Eisuke and Ota, relishing in the closing of the doors. Next to him, Suzumi had pulled her arm away from him and was standing as far away from him as she could in the small box. They were both silent until they got to the suite.

Soryu motioned for her to sit on the couch and disappeared into the kitchenette as he heard her pad across the room. When he came back, he saw her perched on the edge of the couch, body tense, eyes looking once more out the windows. He sat across from her on the other couch and placed a menu between the two of them on the coffee table.

"Pick something for dinner. And dessert. Whatever you want, it doesn't matter."

His eyes watched her as she looked down at the menu and gingerly picked it up. She was browsing through the selection when Soryu added, "Whenever you want food, anytime at all, you may order it. I will not keep you from basic things you need, like food. I will not treat you badly. My rules, while sounding harsh, are very simple and easy to follow."

She hadn't looked up from her browsing while he spoke, but he could tell she was listening, as her eyes had stopped moving and he doubted she was finding the steak tartar that compelling. Once he fell silent, her eyes started to move once more across the paper. A few minutes passed when she sat down the menu and looked up. Soryu was watching her keenly.

"Soup. And maybe the pasta?"

"Is that all you want?"

Suzumi nodded. "I haven't eaten in a while, I don't want to get sick. Soup first. If I can handle that, then the pasta."

Satisfied with her answer, Soryu took the menu away and made a call down to the kitchens. When he came back to the room, he saw her looking through a large plastic shopping bag that had been sitting on the couch with her-the stuff Inui had fetched. Upon closer inspection, he saw her looking curiously at one of the items in her hand.

"Did Inui get something wrong?"

"No," she shook her head. "He got me some chocolate. I didn't put it on the list, but that was nice of him, I guess." She smiled small. She sat it aside and rummaged through the bag. "May I go put my stuff away?"

"Do what you want."

Immediately, Suzumi scooped up the bag, plus a couple others from the neatly stacked pile by the door, delivered from their shopping, and headed for her room. He watched, slightly bemused, as she made four more trips to get all the bags. There was definitely more bags than either of them had picked out, which was probably Eisuke and the others' doing. The extra bags were from stores not located at the Tres Spades and he wondered how close of an eye they'd been keeping on their activities that day. He also wondered how long it would take her to notice.

"Mr Oh?"

Soryu realized he was still standing in the living room, staring into space while thinking. Looking behind him, she saw Suzumi with a confused look. "Yes?"

"Where did some of this come from?"

"What do you mean?"

She held up a sparkly cocktail dress, face skeptical. "I definitely did not pick this out. Plus it's too big."

To him, the dress was still small, but that was because she was smaller. For the time being. He supposed this was a sign from the men that she wasn't going anywhere until she sized up and became a bit healthier. He found that he was okay with that, he had his limits, sending a starving woman onto the streets was one of them.

"They're gifts from the others, put them in the closet for the time being. I suppose it's best to say they're for the future."

She couldn't keep the skeptical look from her face, but shrugged and turned to go back to her room.

"And you can just call me Soryu."

"Soryu?" She turned slightly to confirm, watching his face for his reaction. He nodded with a small grin.

"Go finish. Our dinner will be here soon and I have to go out with the others after." He waved her off and went to his own room to change clothes.

Twenty five minutes later found the two eating silently at the dining room table. Suzumi was taking it slow with her soup, savoring the flavors. Opposite of her, Soryu kept one eye on his plate and the other on her. Minutes after he finished, there was a knock on the suite door, followed by three voices letting themselves in.

Irritated, Soryu stood and stomped into the next room, glaring at the visitors. Poking her head around the corner, Suzumi saw that it was the same men she'd been meeting the night before and today. Mr Kisaki, who she'd seen in the casino before coming up, the man in the red blazer who brought her to the penthouse, Baba, and the last man she'd only seen the night before. _Perhaps he was the slacker Soryu mentioned in the morning?_ she thought.

"I don't barge into your suites without permission. I'd ask you to afford me the same courtesy," Soryu grunted, arms crossed. Both Ota and Baba gave fleeting apologies, and headed right for Suzumi, who was still mostly in the next room.

Peeking into the dining area, Ota saw the plates and smiled. "Good. Soryu is taking care of his pet after all. He had me worried." He pat her on the head and put his hands in his pockets.

"I'm not a pet," she mumbled, looked down to the ground, trying to melt into the wall.

"Soryu, she's practically afraid of us. What have you been telling her?" Baba asked, watching her face.

"He didn't say anything!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"Ota look! They are already sharing sentences!" Baba stage whispered to the artist. "What's happening in here?"

"How scary, Baba!"

The two laughed at the looks both Soryu and Suzumi gave them; hers mortification and his rage. Before they could say anything else, Soryu pulled out his gun.

"I don't think the two of you take me serious enough."

"Put it away, Oh." The third man at the door rolled his eyes, puffing on a cigarette.

"You don't get to tell me what to do, you useless detective."

Kishi chuckled. "No, I don't. But take a look at her face." He nodded to Suzumi, who practically wilted at the sight of the weapon. She was practically glued to the wall, her body shrunk in on itself to make a smaller target.

Soryu cursed and put the gun back in his jacket pocket. "Get out! I'll meet you down there!" He barked, pointing to the door. Frightened at the look on his face, Baba and Ota left quickly, trailing behind Kishi who left the second Soryu's head was turned.

"Suzumi?"

Hearing her name, she stood and looked up at Soryu, eyes wide like saucers. "I'm fine!" Her voice was an octave higher than usual and her face was paler than usual.

"Are you sure? Do you want to lay down?"

He made to step towards her, but she darted away.

"I'm fine! Actually, I think I will lay down. I'll finish eating later." She was tripping over her own words, each coming out much too fast to be a part of her normal speech. Right before she went to her room, she added, "Have fun tonight! I promise not to talk to anyone or try to go anywhere!"

Her door shut with a click and that was how Soryu's first full day with her ended.

Frustrated at what had happened in the last ten minutes, Soryu resisted the urge to punch the wall. One of the few things he asked of the others was to not come into his suite without permission. It was like just because there was a woman in there, it meant his rules were null. Perhaps he needed to be a little more forceful with them, when Suzumi wasn't around.

In her her room, Suzumi sat on the floor, back against the door. Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm the fear that had bubbled up in the living room, seeing the gun in Soryu's hand. Guns were a shocking thing to see, before her life had been changed so drastically. They were completely illegal unless you were law enforcement, and even then, they weren't carried openly on a daily basis. The only time she had ever seen them growing up was on TV and movies. Until the day she met Ren Souma. Then, every time she saw a gun, she saw life extinguished, blood, pain. And although she hadn't seen all those things here, the sight of a gun still shook her and made her freeze up. The wait to see what would happen next held her down.

For some reason, even though she only knew Soryu Oh for less than a day, she didn't want to think of him in the same light at the Soumas. She was finding it hard to distinguish between what she could and could not do, how she could act or say. Though, the few times she's spoken out of turn, Soryu hadn't punished her. The only time he'd been truly mad at her was when she hadn't spoken up about eating.

Sighing, she stood and decided to peek her head out of the room. When she didn't see anything or hear any movement, she ventured further out. The suite was empty, save for her; Soryu had left for his outing with his friends. Quietly, she grabbed her still covered plate of pasta and took it to the sitting area. Facing the windows, she slowly finished the rest of her dinner in silence.

* * *

_**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Leave me a review so I know you're reading!_


	4. Proof

**Author's Note:** _Hi! Here's another chapter! I have a confession to make: I'm going on vacation to Disney and Universal next week...So I don't know when I'll have time to write after today. When I come back, term starts, so... I'm two or three chapters ahead of this one, but I can't make promises when the next one will post. I'm still in this story if you guys are. I've been mapping out the plot and what I want to happen and I think this will be really cool. Just let me know what you think in reviews, please!_

_Side note, I went back and did some reformatting on the previous chapters and added what's been in my head: some corresponding songs/lyrics at the top of each chapter. They should be at the top of each chapter here on out as well. _

_**Disclaimer**: I own Haruka and Suzumi and the Soumas, but the rest is Voltage, INC._

* * *

_"You wanna put two in my chest._  
_I wanna be the one in your head._  
_In your head. In your head."  
_**To The Wolves** \- Anberlin

**Four.**

When Soryu met up with the other four men, they were all already spread throughout the crowd of the I.V.C., talking to various guests with varying levels of interest. He could see Ota was ready to split, already tired of people pandering to him in true sycophant style. Kishi was speaking with another detective, one who really was a dirty cop, puffing away like the perpetual smoke stack that he was. Baba in true womanizing style, was surrounded by pretty women who tittered and cooed at his winks. He could tell he was getting bored, probably already gotten information out of their loose lips. Eisuke looked to be the only one interested in his conversation, he was the master of facial expressions, though. To be fair, the man he spoke with was Victor Vizzini, a prominent real estate developer in Italy, which meant a big deal in the works. Before he could make his way across the room himself, Soryu was stopped by the last person he wanted to talk to at the moment.

"Soryu Oh, imagine seeing you here tonight."

Taichi Souma was a large man, in every aspect of the word. He stood over Soryu at least six inches and weighed at least three hundred pounds. He was built almost like a bowling pin, his head rounded and bald, the rest of him stocky and thick. The man had a love of blue suits, and despite the bold color, it was immaculately made, and because of his size, made to order.

"Souma. Good to see you here, tonight. Though, I'm confused as to why I wouldn't be here." Soryu nodded to the large man, keeping his senses sharp and ready for anything.

Souma laughed heartily, clapping a hand on Soryu's shoulder. "I heard you got yourself a beautiful pet last night, of course! I figured she would be keeping you busy!"

Soryu gave a thin smile, sidestepping away from Souma's hand. "Mm, yes. One would think. However, I had matters to attend to tonight. Who's spreading the good word?"

"Oh, I had a few representatives here last night," Souma reached for a drink from a passing waitress and took a pull of the champagne. "I had them keep an eye for anything I might like for myself."

"And did you find anything good?"

The large man frowned. "No, not particularly. There was some art, but I was not willing to pay."

"Soryu! Glad you made it!"

The stilted conversation was interrupted by Eisuke, who came up behind the two and put his hand on Soryu's shoulder. "Eisuke."

"Ichinomiya! Good to see you!" Souma shook Eisuke's hand enthusiastically. "You've outdone yourself once more for the I.V.C."

"Thank you, sir. I'm glad to hear it from you." Eisuke smiled enthusiastically. "If you don't mind, I want to borrow my friend? I want to introduce him to another friend of mine."

"Of course! The night is young, I'm sure we'll bump into one another again." Souma smiled genially and walked away, humming and sampling the wares of the roaming waitresses.

"Based on the near constipated look on your face, Soryu, I'm assuming that was the last person you'd want to see?" Eisuke sipped on his champagne, eyes watching his friend closely.

Soryu sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let's walk and talk." He lead the way out of the party hall and to the private bar across the hallway. When they were each seated in the corner booth, he continued. "That was Taichi Souma. He's the head of the Osiris Brethren. And yes, until I knew the level of severity this woman has garnered, I had hoped to avoid him."

Eisuke frowned, tapping his finger on the table between them. "You bought yourself fifty million dollars worth of trouble, didn't you, Sor?"

"Perhaps." Soryu downed the glass of whiskey the bartender had brought them in a single swallow. "But if I get what I want, the trouble is worth it. It wouldn't be the first time shit hits the fan."

Following the mobster's lead, Eisuke drained his own glass. "I feel like this is going to be a lot of firsts for you."

"How so?"

"We'll see. Let's head back to the party, grab the others, and go back to the penthouse. I'm bored."

It was after midnight by the time Soryu left the others' company, which meant he had to further delay his meeting until the next morning. With a sigh, he went to his suite, and was greeted with a surprising sight. A single lamp was on, illuminating the sleeping form of Suzumi on the couch. Confused, Soryu walked over to stand above her, noting that she was still breathing, her body curled into a ball.

"Why didn't you just go to bed?" he whispered, scratching the back of his neck. He went to wake her, but drew back, thinking better of it. Instead, he shrugged out of his jacket, tossing it on the other couch, and headed back to his bathroom.

What surprised him even more, was that after his shower, she was still in the same position as earlier, sleeping deeply. He shook his head and went to lay down, hoping to get some sleep before leaving early for the office. He was not surprised when, an hour later, he was still awake, staring at the ceiling. Irritated at the conclusion he came to, Soryu threw back the blankets and stomped out to the living room, ready to jolt her awake and send her to bed.

Storming up to the couch, he planned on shoving her awake and barking at her to go to her own room, however, he was stopped in his tracks when he saw that she was awake. Sitting up, she'd turned off the lamp, and was looking out at the bay in the dark. He found himself oddly mesmerized at the intensity she used to watch the lights and water outside Tres Spades.

"I know you're probably keeping me for a reason against the Soumas." Her soft voice made him whip his head from the window to her face. "I guess I'm okay with that. I don't really have any attachment to them, so it's not like I'll stop you from doing stuff. So long as I get to live, I'll help you."

Soryu came closer and sat across from her, arms crossed against his bare chest. His narrowed eyes, took in her calm face. Slowly, she turned from the window to face him. Frowning, he said,

"Prove to me you're not a puppet. What if you're here on orders of Souma?"

Suzumi drew back slightly, bewildered. "Orders?"

"What if you're here because you were told to destroy me? The Ice Dragons?"

Soryu was well aware the length of the day was catching up with him, affecting his mood. The sudden changes in his life in just twenty four hours were breaking his patience. However, the time being past two am coupled with his spent energy, he had no breaks to speak of and kept pushing.

"I-I don't know what you want from me!" Suzumi cried out, eyes wide. "I don't know how to prove something like that. I just...am here. You bought me! You're the reason why I'm here with you!" Her fingers were nervously toying with the edges of her sleeves, her voice teetering between indignation and fear. "I'm only here because of you!" Her voice caught in her throat, choked up.

Soryu opened his mouth to speak, but paused when he heard his cell phone buzz. He could tell Suzumi was holding her breath as she watched him jerk around and fish it from his jacket pocket. "Yes?" She didn't make a single sound, except for the slight rustle of her clothing on the fabric of the couch.

A lot of fast talking, followed by the transformation of Soryu's face; surprise, anger, frustration. The call seemed to last forever and only a moment to Suzumi, what little adrenaline that had pumped into her system had dissipated and she found herself shaking in her seat. When he was finished, he threw the phone on the side chair and let out a harsh breath. Back turned from her, Soryu snapped,

"Go to bed."

When he didn't hear her moving, he turned his head to look at her. His eyebrows rose before he could stop himself at the sight of her entire frame shaking. Her face was cast down, looking at the ground, her hands clenched tight in her lap. It surprised him more than when he saw her in the birdcage; because at least when she was on stage for the auction hall to see, she hadn't been afraid enough to cry. But somehow, Soryu had made a woman cry and he felt like a complete dirtbag. Her tears weren't loud or dramatic, but the wet spots on the arm of the couch were apparent, as were the slight tracks on her cheeks.

Soryu sighed. "Go to bed," he said, softer. "We need to have a proper discussion about things and neither of us are in the mindset to do so."

However, Soryu became more than extremely busy the days following. After successfully taking the Ice Dragons in a bloodless coup, there were a lot of messes to clean up, policies to change, and alliances to forge. He spent most days at the office, slept on the small bed there, and more often than not, skipped out on meetings in the penthouse lounge as well. Suzumi spent her days mostly alone, her only contact outside the room being the hotel staff who brought her food and cleaned the suite or Baba and Ota, who toned down their visits from the last time they'd seen her.

Baba taught her how to play poker and the three of them would play in Soryu's living room. He gave her money to play with once Ota complained of being bored without something to bet with, and promptly beat the pants off both men in a stroke of luck. When she tried giving the money back to both of them, they refused.

"You won it fair and square," Ota sighed, poking his tongue out at her.

"It will be nice to have something and not depend on Soryu, right?" Baba smiled and patted her on the head. "Save it for something special."

Suzumi's eyes bugged out. "But this is fifteen hundred dollars! Are you insane?"

"Probably," Baba hummed, glancing at his watch. "And unfortunately, I'm also late."

"What?"

Standing, he cleaned up the cards and chips with deft hands, ignoring Ota's confused look. "I'll come visit tonight, then? You must be lonely without Sor?" He winked dramatically.

Suzumi flushed and waved him off. "Go away if you're going to get pervy."

"What time is it?" Ota asked, standing and stretching.

"Three fifteen," both Baba and Suzumi said at once.

Baba just laughed while she scowled.

"I guess I'll go, too. I have to meet with Eisuke over some new auction entries and weed out the fakes."

"An auction so soon?" Baba put on his hat and walked to the door.

"Not necessarily. But we had some hot items that people were eager to get rid of. If we have enough items soon, we'll ask you to pick the date, though." Ota pet Suzumi on the head and met the thief at the door. Looking back at the woman, he added, "Stay out of trouble, little birdy."

Suzumi frowned. "Where the hell am I going to go? I'm stuck here."

Ota laughed. "True enough. Behave and I'll send you a treat later!" Both men left, the door clicking shut and locking behind them.

Alone for the first time since the morning, Suzumi let out a sigh. Though hard to admit, she'd begun to like Ota and Baba a little bit over the course of the two weeks that she'd spent time with them. They sometimes took their jokes too far, but they were kind enough to spend time with her, knowing she was lonely. Sometimes though, the silence was gratifying. It meant she could know she was alone and could relax without trouble being in the next room or demanding things from her.

Before true boredom could settle in, Suzumi decided to order a late lunch and turn on the seldom used TV she'd found hidden in the cupboard space. It seemed like Soryu didn't really use the electronic piece here much, and while she wasn't a TV addict herself, it would be nice to see something other than her own life played out and strung along.

Half an hour later, there was a knock on the door and a voice identifying as room service. Quickly, she muted the show she was watching and opened the door. On the other side was a short young woman with a smile waiting with a tray.

"Hel...lo…?" Seeming confused for a moment, the woman looked at the room number by the door and looked back at Suzumi. "This is Soryu Oh's suite, yes?"

Suzumi tilted her head and answered. "Yes, please, come in." She left the door open and gestured for her to drop the tray off. This girl was different, new compared to the others who usually dropped off her food. She even had a different uniform on than the usual clerks. She nearly laughed as the girl set the service up at the table, fidgeting with curiosity over what seemed to be confusion over her existence in Soryu's room.

"Are you new? You seem shocked that I'm here, and the other clerks have been up here and seen me already."

The woman nodded. "Pardon me. I'm really a maid, but they were short staffed and they asked me to help before I left for the day. My name is Haruka, if you need anything else." She bowed politely and smiled at Suzumi.

"Haruka?!" she blurted out. The girl stopped, pausing as she made her way to the door.

"Y-yes?"

Suzumi didn't want to believe it, but she ventured further. "Are you Eisuke Ichinomiya's girlfriend?"

Haruka nodded, her smile only faltering for a moment. "Yes, I am. How did you know? Did Soryu tell you?"

"Kind of. Baba and Ota talk about you every now and then…"

Haruka's eyes narrowed slightly and she glanced at the door. Before Suzumi could blink, the maid's gentle face was back on and she bowed.

"If you need anything else, just call down. Have a good evening."

Staring at the closed door, Suzumi wondered at her meeting the mysterious Haruka. This was the woman who Eisuke Ichinomiya was dating...a maid. How much more confusing and ridiculous could the men who bought her be exactly?


	5. Soryu

**Author's Note: **Hello! I am not dead and this story is not abandoned! I got a lot of reviews recently and PMs for this story, so I thought I'd post two chapters. This is the first, the second will follow shortly. As a reminder, this story comes secondary to my Harry Potter series and challenges for various fanfiction sites. I don't post as often because I want to stay ahead in chapters, as opposed to writing them one at a time.

Thank you to all those who have reviewed, and to Ellielillianxo who PM'd me today and spurred me on to post. I honestly hadn't realized it had been so long since I last posted. Life is crazy, including work and school and the various ComicCons and concerts I've gone to recently. I hope I can post a little more frequently as the summer winds down before fall. Then I get super busy.

So, as this note has stated, reviews and PMs made me want to post. So if you want to read more, let me know you're reading this with these reviews and PMs! I am writing it for me, but if I'm going to go to the trouble to post it, I want to know there are those out there actually reading! ;)

Disclaimer: Voltage owns most of it. Though Osiris Brethren and Haruka are mine.

* * *

_There's lightning striking all over the world_

_I am a human being capable of doing terrible things_

_I am a human being capable of doing terrible things_

_Run._

**Run** \- AWOLNATION

Chapter Five: Soryu

_One Week Since Suzumi Arrived_

-0-

Soryu glared down at the battered man laying on the concrete before him. Aki and Inui were keeping lookout from either end of the alleyway while their boss took care of some business. The man was bleeding from multiple cuts on his face, his left eye swollen shut, and was cradling his left arm close to his chest.

"I don't take to spies on Ice Dragon turf. Who sent you?"

The man didn't answer quick enough and was paid with a kick in the gut.

"Once more. Then I let Aki and his knives finish you down at the harbor. Now. Who sent you?"

"Souma," the man coughed, blood dribbling out between his lips.

Soryu narrowed his eyes, trying hard to hide his confusion. "You work for our allies, the Bell Crickets. What are you doing taking orders from Osiris like a confused bitch?"

The man seized up in a coughing fit, blood coming faster from his mouth. Soryu, Aki, and Inui all listened passively, waiting for it to pass. Finally, when the man could catch his breath, he whispered shakily, "They killed my wife, threatened my children. Lee didn't answer my pleas for help…"

"You're brothers would have helped you if you asked. We would have helped you. Instead, you put your nose where it didn't belong and now it's costing you. As a service to the dead, we'll save your children…" Soryu pulled out his gun and added the slim silencer.

"The dead? But...No, please!"

"I'll talk to Lee for you."

The bullet went clean through the man's forehead, his labored breathing stopped.

"Clean this mess up. I'll see you both at headquarters. I have phone calls to make."

Inui sprang into action immediately with an enthusiastic "Yes sir!" while Aki kept watching the street.

/*\

Simon Lee was no fool. He trusted Soryu Oh with his life and the life of his own daughter, Mei Ling. To hear from the man in Tokyo that one of his men not only was betraying the pact the Bell Crickets had with the Ice Dragons, but that they could be bought from his own brotherhood despite the oaths taken, it was an embarrassment upon his name and it filled him with rage.

"I humbly apologize on behalf of the Bell Crickets, Soryu." Simon bowed low on the video screen. "I will send for his children, he has a sister here who is married to another Cricket. She will take them."

Soryu kept his face blank, but on the inside, he was both nervous and suspicious. "Thank you, Simon. I was worried about the Osiris Brethren before we encountered him snooping, but what he told us confirms it. The Ice Dragons will be formally looking into Osiris activity. Anything you may find in Hong Kong and other branches would be appreciated."

Simon nodded. "Of course. I owe you a debt."

The video call ended and Soryu leaned back in his chair. In front of him on the desk was the info Inui had dug up on Suzumi's past, as well as the proper (forged) documents for her present and future. He'd had them for a few days now, but with the fiasco they'd finally uncovered this morning, he'd barely had time to look them over.

All in all, there was nothing particularly remarkable about the girl. She was smart, had a knack for language, and grew up around a lot of technology. She could be of some use...if he would ever be able to get back to the penthouse and train her to trust him, as well as earn his trust. Tossing the folders aside, he yawned and glanced at the clock.

20:17.

He still had to check in with the other subordinates about the protection fees as well as scouting areas for planted bugs and other potential spies. Now that this one man had been found, Soryu couldn't rule out the possibility of others who could be bought, blackmailed, or hiding in plain sight. On top of it all, he had a small batch of transfers coming in and he planned on having Samejima acclimate them to the Tokyo branch and bylaws.

It was going to be a long night.

/*\

"You called for me, Sir?"

Soryu looked up from his paperwork, watching Samejima walk in to his office. He nodded for the man to sit and finished the last of the paperwork he had on Aki's latest report. Three spies found near Ginza and Harajuku, all of other gangs, though thankfully rivals. They had been disposed of, after they admitted their betrayals on camera to be sent to their leaders. Soryu hadn't realized the power that was behind the Osiris Brethren, they'd kept their cards close. But it was becoming clear that he had something Taichi Souma wanted or was afraid of others having. And the key was Suzumi.

"Has Inui told you about any of the assignments I've given him recently?"

Samejima looked confused. "No? Should he have?

Soryu shook his head. "No. But I'm going to fill you in now. This pertains to the spies we've caught recently and the action we take in the future. I'm going to say this, then give you a job offer." He waited for the man to nod, then continued.

"I recently acquired something that Taichi Souma wants extremely bad. He threw it away and I realized the treasure it really was. It's a woman. Her name is Suzumi and I've been keeping her at the Tres Spades under the eye of the other managers while I dealt with business here. She lived with the Osiris Brethren for several months and I believe she has information that Souma doesn't want out public. Soon, I plan on integrating her with the Ice Dragons so that we can use her. When the time comes, I want you, and eventually Inui, to protect her."

"Sir? I am more than willing to do the job. I just find the situation odd." Samejima watched his boss' face, but garnered nothing in response.

Soryu frowned, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. "I'll say the same. The whole thing has been awkward, to say the least. She knows about Inui, he's been running errands for her when she needs things, as well as digging up information on her and her connection to the Osiris. I'm hoping to have her here within the week. I can keep her safer here while we extract the info she probably knows."

"Probably? You don't know she has information?"

"I haven't had the chance to talk with her since the day after I acquired her. I've been chasing down spies here."

Samejima nodded in the truth of the words. "I would be happy to do what you ask, Sir. Just let me know when."

Soryu nodded and dismissed the man, asking him to collect protection fees from a few politicians. It was a more delicate job than what Inui could really handle, if he was honest. And Samejima was good at subtlety. Lacing his fingers together and staring into the distance, Soryu realized it was time he went back to the Tres Spades and had a talk with Suzumi. She had too much freedom with his absence; surely Baba and Ota had contaminated her with their way of thinking and he needed to set that right.

It was time to go back tonight, honestly.

/*\

Soryu was dead on his feet by the time he made it back to the penthouse that night. It was well past midnight and all he wanted to do was strip down and fall into the comfortable mattress that resided in his bedroom. Kishi could be hanging out in his living space, chain smoking as usual and painting a Picasso and he wouldn't give a damn, so long as he was quiet.

Unlocking the door, he entered the quiet, dark space of the suite and immediately took off his shoes and shed his jacket. His body reacted to the lessened weight by collapsing onto the couch and stretching out best it could in the position he'd landed in. Mind already hazy from lack of sleep, Soryu was startled, and slightly embarrassed, by the sound of Suzumi speaking quietly from the hallway.

"Soryu?"

His head shot up and his eyes zeroed in on the shadowed woman. Now wasn't the time to talk, but he felt the need to say something anyhow. Briefly, he wondered if she'd been waiting up for him every night, but dismissed it.

"Hello, Suzumi."


	6. Haruka

**Author's Note:** Here is the second chapter that was promised! This needs to hold all of you down so that I can write more now. Hopefully next week I can post more since I'm burnt out on Harry Potter right now, tbh.

As always and was stated in the last chapter, I write this for me, but post because I want to and know people are reading. If I get reviews and PMs, then I know you're reading and then I'll post more. Nothing sucks more than taking the time to edit and post a story to have it feel like a ghost town and the potential that everyone hates it!

Thank you all for reading, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own Haruka and Osiris Brethren, Voltage owns everything else.

* * *

_Complications: my claim to fame_

_And I can't believe there's another_

_Constantly just another_

_Can't avoid what I can't control_

_And I'm losing ground, still I can't stand down..._

**Chaos** \- MuteMath

Chapter Six: Haruka

Haruka walked through the penthouse doors her long day of work done. However, she felt like her evening would be even longer. The appearance of a girl in Soryu's suite tonight peaked her curiosity and completely bewildered her; the man wasn't known for keeping company, especially within his own living space. The girl had mentioned Baba and Ota and, while she knew they were both out until later if not the next day, she could chat up Eisuke and see what he would tell her. She was only gone two weeks and secrets were already being kept from her. She didn't like secrets.

There was evidence of life in the lounge with Mamoru sitting on the couch, reading a packet of papers. It was a rare moment when she didn't see a cigarette in his hand, lit and ashing away. It was dinnertime, but the possibility of Eisuke out of the penthouse still was very real. When she walked into the sitting area, Mamoru looked up and gave her a curt nod before returning to his papers.

"You have a funny look on our face, girly."

Haruka's hands stilled over the mess she was starting to compulsively tidy, surprised that the detective was paying her any attention. Then again, she really shouldn't have been. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, his hands shook just a little. Like he was attempting to fight the urge to reach for his smokes. "You look like you need to ask questions. And it also looks like I'm the only one here right now. Eisuke won't be back until closer to eight, by the way." His eyes seemingly didn't leave his papers as he talked to her.

Not one to pass an opportunity, Haruka jumped on his veiled offer. "Why is there a woman in Soryu's suite?!" When Kishi only raised a brow at her exclamation, she huffed. "What exactly happened while I was gone? Why do you all get into trouble when I'm not here?"

Kishi rolled his eyes, finally looking up to make eye contact with her. "Things were business as usual, for the most part. Don't be so dramatic." He stuffed his papers in a manila envelope and gave her more of his attention. "So, long story short. There was an auction and Oh bought her."

Haruka's eyes bulged out of her head, surprise, outrage, and confusion lit in them. Kishi scooted back in his seat, knowing her feelings on the auctions: she hated them. It was understandable, after all. She'd nearly been sold at one a year ago, only to be rescued by the most unlikely knight in shining armor of all. Eisuke himself. She ran into a sticky situation in the hotel basement and in retribution, some low level thugs tried to put her on the block. But Eisuke's strict rules of consent foiled their greedy plans and Haruka avoided the gilded cage. In exchange for saving her, Eisuke had proposed a deal of sorts with her: she be at his beck and call for three months, including become the primary maid for the penthouse. She'd barely accepted his offer before he'd called up the trained monkey of a hotel manager and gotten her a pager and penthouse elevator key. When her mandatory three months were over, Eisuke told her to continue cleaning the penthouse and that effective immediately, they would be dating.

If nothing else, this had shocked Mamoru the most. The fact that Eisuke wanted to date a maid when his usual type was leggy models. What was especially surprising was that he dated a woman with a personality; Haruka had opinions, dressed how she liked, and even talked back to Eisuke. Eisuke took it sometimes, too. Ichinomiya had definitely changed since dating the Tres Spades maid and, with his common eyes, Mamoru could tell it had mellowed the man out. Despite all the talks and coaxing done with Haruka over the auctions between the five men, none of them had been able to get her on board with the idea of them. There were moments when they knew some things got through to her, but then there were others when she refused to come to the penthouse for a few days and Ichinomiya would be missing afterward, too.

"Ain't none of my business why he has her. All I know is, she was mixed up in shit she shouldn't have been and now she's here with us." Mamoru said after watching Eisuke's woman over analyze the thought of Soryu buying a woman. "She's a clever kid. A bit skittish but reminds me a little of you."

"You've met her, talked with her and stuff?"

"Just a couple times, but nothing big. I'm not really welcome near Oh's things, now am I?" He shrugged. "Baba and Kisaki spend more time with her, especially since Oh has been too busy to keep an eye on her. Ice Dragon business. In fact, I haven't seen him around here in almost a week."

Haruka tapped her chin in thought, mulling over the ideas already bouncing in her brain. "Do you think Eisuke or Soryu would be mad if I went over to see her?"

"Nah. I think the thought while you were gone was for you two to get to know each other and get friendly. She'll be here a while, from what I gather."

Standing, Mamoru stretched and picked up his packet of papers. "Gotta go report. See you around, kid." He pat Haruka's head, knowing she'd scowl and try to hit him, and dodged her fist. "The woman's name is Suzumi, apparently," he added as he walked out.

Left on her own to think about what the detective told her, Haruka glanced at the door, then her watch. It was nearly seven thirty, which meant, if Eisuke said he'd be back at eight like Mamoru hinted, he'd be home at seven fifty-nine. Slinking up the stairs to the 52nd floor, she decided the best course of action was to think about the girl next door as she showered for the evening.

/*\

It was one in the morning when Suzumi heard a noise from her bedroom.

The sound of the door shutting harshly on the frame, chatter, and the sound of something solid hitting the ground twice. She had become so accustomed to practically living on her own as of late, her immediate thought hadn't been that it was Soryu finally coming back. So when she tiptoed into the living room and peaked around the corner to see the mob boss sprawled on the couch, it was a shocking sight. Especially since he usually seemed to be more more graceful and put together than he did in this moment.

Suit jacket off and thrown to the side, Soryu was slumped on the couch looking every inch ruffled. His navy shirt was wrinkled, tie loosened impossibly so, and hair ruffled. Everything very much the opposite of his usually polished and slick self. His legs were slack and spread, arms draped on the back of the couch, and eyes closed in hopes to get a moment's peace.

She hadn't realized it, but her body had been tense at the thought of someone there other than herself. But upon seeing Soryu's wrung out form, she immediately relaxed and cocked her head to the side in bewilderment. There was no way he'd be this casual around her. Did he forget she was here?

"Soryu?" she whispered cautiously.

Right away, his head popped up, eyes wide open, looking for the source of his name. When his eyes landed on her, he sighed and leaned back on the couch. "Hello, Suzumi. Why aren't you in bed?"

"I heard a noise. Turns out it was you coming home."

Soryu grunted in acknowledgement to her story. "Go back to bed. I'll be going in a couple minutes myself."

She tempted fate against his order for just a moment or two, taking in his form again. His body spoke of exhaustion. With a sigh, she turned to head back to her room, but paused for a moment to ask, "Are you back now?"

There was a long silence before he answered her. So long that she thought he'd fallen asleep in his seat. But he answered, still. "Yes. Hopefully. As much as I like my family, I'm sick of seeing them."

Soryu eyed her as she silently turned back around and closed the door to her assigned room. He'd been gone too long for his liking and he was worried about Suzumi's mindset. While he didn't consider himself cruel by any means, he hoped she didn't think she could take rule of the suite and defy him. He would need to check in with Eisuke tomorrow anyhow, so then he would have a conversation with Ota and Baba on the state of his live-in acquisition. There was no point in denying the two had been paying her visits, and for that he was glad. It kept her occupied and the two of them out of his business. The only part he dreaded tomorrow was running into Haruka after so long; she was going to give him an earful over buying the girl, but hopeful the others would have prepared her since her homecoming.

/*\

Suzumi slept late, later than usual and it threw off the schedule she'd created for herself since the last time she'd seen Soryu come home. Being startled awake seemed to pump adrenaline through her veins and pushed her mind to overwork itself until she faded off just before dawn. So naturally it was a surprise when Eisuke Ichinomiya barged in her room with an annoyed look on his face and was followed by a frowning Haruka.

"I don't like to be kept waiting," he huffed, staring down at Suzumi, arms crossed as he stood at the food of her bed.

Trying to clear the fog of sleep from her mind, Suzumi croaked, "Wait. What?" She sat up completely and took in the sight of the impatient man and maid beside him.

"Eisuke, she was sleeping. She wasn't ignoring you," Haruka said, scolding.

"It's nearly eleven, are you just lazy or does Soryu let you sloth about every day?" Eisuke chose to ignore his girlfriend and continued to glare

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you or any visitors and... Wait, it's eleven already?!"

Haruka nodded and smiled. "We came by to see if you wanted to spend time with me today. Being with Baba and Ota all the time must be wearing thin, so I thought a change of pace will be nice."

"Um." Not sure how to respond, Suzumi mentioned her first rule. "I'm not allowed to leave the suite without Soryu..."

"Soryu has granted permission for you to come to the penthouse lounge and spend time with Haruka. I just had to escort you there." Eisuke added the last bit as though it pained him. "Soryu will take you back with him when he finishes tonight." He nearly stomped the room, leaving the two women alone.

"Let's hurry and get dressed? He'll only wait so long before he starts yelling and threatening." Haruka winked and threw open the closet in Suzumi's room.

/*\

The first time, and effectively the only time, Suzumi had been in the penthouse lounge was when she was brought up by Ota and Baba after the auctions. It stood to reason that she hadn't had a good look between worrying over what had happened and what was to come. She was grateful that the room was empty other than the three of them, it afforded her a chance to look and take in the massive decor. Eisuke, upon shutting the door to the hall, warned he would be upstairs in his 52nd floor room taking business calls.

"If you try to escape, Soryu will know and immediately put you down. Don't disturb me."

Haruka didn't take notice of his words, only rolling her eyes and shooing him away. Suzumi was a tad impressed, even before the recent treatment she'd received with the Soumas, she didn't think she could have the confidence to ignore his tsundre personality and demands. It was a few minutes before she was able to reel in her curiosity and come sit next to the smaller woman, who was pouring herself tea.

"What would you like, Suzumi?"

"Tea is fine, thanks... Is he always like that?"

Haruka laughed. "Oh yes. He has moments otherwise when we're alone, but for the most part, he's demanding, cold, and ruthless. But I suppose that's why he's successful." She gave the steaming cup to her and sat back. "Let's relax a little, then we can order lunch. I don't get many days like this, so you'll indulge me?"

Suzumi nodded and listened to Haruka talk about anything that came to mind. As she spoke, she seemed to calm down and move less. This was something Suzumi wasn't really used to in her interactions with her. She usually was always moving tidying, speaking with her hands; but now she was relaxed into the sofa and speaking softly.

"Do you have any questions about anything? Baba likes to play mysterious secret keeper but he knows there are things he can't share. Same with Ota. I have only so much I can tell you, too, but I can be more honest and unbiased than the guys." Haruka held her mug close and eyed Suzumi.

Suzumi thought about her situation and these new people in her life. She had a lot of questions, but from her experience the last few months, she knew questions got you killed. Still.

"Why are you dating Eisuke Ichinomiya? You two are an... Odd couple."

Haruka laughed. "Yeah. It's funny. Did anyone tell you how I met them and came to know about the auctions?" Suzumi shook her head. "Well I work here, obviously. I ended up in the I.V.C. party by accident, and stumbled into some shady dealings. The thugs wanted to put me up for auctions, but as they tried to put me in the cage, Soryu and Eisuke appeared. They must have been watching the cameras, because Eisuke grabbed me and left them to Soryu after telling them human auctions required consent. Which they do, and I'll bring that back up later, believe me." She eyed the woman in front of her critically. "Eisuke brought me up here and between the five of them, they agreed it was okay for me to know about the auctions in exchange for being the penthouse maid so they could keep an eye on me. In those months, I just saw Eisuke differently, the sides he doesn't really show anyone else. He's a good guy, he's just shrewd and cunning. I like to think I'm friends with the others too. Though I know there's parts of their lives and jobs I just won't get or know, I'm closer to them than most other people. They're all a private group of men."

Suzumi watched as Haruka smiled at the thought of the penthouse men. She thought Baba and Ota were okay, though Ota liked teasing and trying to embarrass her and Baba was always flirting. Her experience with the cop was limited, due to whatever mutual hate existed between him and Soryu, but he seemed a half way decent sort. He'd noticed she hated guns, after all. Eisuke was just as Haruka described him; shrewd. He had little patience but the times she had interacted with him, he had shown worry in the crease of his brow and the bend of his mouth. For a cold man like him, she was impressed he showed concern for her so visibly. And Soryu. He was a completely different mob man than her previous experiences and assumptions had led her to believe. So perhaps Haruka was right.

"Now. About that consent thing." The chill in the maid's voice blew over Suzumi, making her freeze. Glancing at her, she flinched. "You allowed yourself to be sold. Why?"

She hesitated. Was it okay to tell her? She _was_ part of the inner circle that Soryu belonged to. Hedging her bets, she went with what her gut was telling her to do. "It was either let them sell me or die. I had been kidnapped by a boy, young man named Ren. He is the son and heir to a crime syndicate in Tokyo and Kyoto. His father hated me and my presence so he ordered his thugs to get rid of me permanently. They were greedy and sold me instead to make extra cash."

Suzumi looked up, surprised at the expression on Haruka's face. Instead of pity or sadness, a dark rage seemed to be spreading. Mouth drawn tight in a frown, she seemed to be staring beyond Suzumi with hooded eyes. "Haruka?"

"I'll kill them."

"What?!"

"If Soryu doesn't kill them, I will." She grabbed Suzumi's hands and squeezed them. Bringing herself to the present, she looked her squarely in the eyes. "I promise. We'll set it right."

Not knowing what to say, Suzumi blinked rapidly and averted her eyes. Sensing her discomfort, the other woman gave her hands one last squeeze before letting go and standing.

"Let's order lunch. We can even order out of the hotel if you'd like. Kenzaki would bring it up."

Twenty minutes later, the two were settled back into their seats, food promptly brought from one of the hotel restaurants instead of the usual kitchens. There was small talk, mostly initiated by Haruka, and for the first time in months, Suzumi didn't feel like she had a blade waiting to take off her head. There were a few times when she felt the cold eyes of Eisuke watching them from the top of the stairs silently, but she chose to ignore him, as did Haruka. These moments only lasted a minute or two, reminding her of a parent checking in on children.

The penthouse door swung open a few hours later while both women were watching a movie on the large television screen. Haruka didn't seem concerned, but she did pause the screen and look to see who was back. Suzumi, on the other hand, seemed to hold her breath and train her eyes to the doorway.

Soryu seemed surprised to see both women watching him as he walked in, though the look was quickly replaced with his blank and cool stare. "We're going back to the room soon, Suzumi. Where is Eisuke?"

"I'm up here."

Before Suzumi or Haruka could answer, the man in question appeared once more at the top of the stairs. He beckoned the mobster up, not sparing a glance at the others.

"Well, I guess that's the end of that for today." Haruka turned off the tv and smiled at Suzumi. "We can do this again soon, hopefully. We behaved this time, so Soryu shouldn't have a problem." She winked.

"This time? Haruka, try not to be a bad influence on Soryu's woman." Eisuke called out, taking the stairs down as he spoke. Soryu was directly behind him, scowling at the man's back.

Suzumi stood and waited for Soryu to come closer, to see if he wanted her to follow. Her eyes were glued on his movements and facial expressions. Haruka took note of this and filed it away for comment later.

"Let's go, Suzumi. We need to talk."

The girl hurried to catch up with Soryu, who had barely slowed down upon coming up to the couch. His long legs took him to the door of the penthouse in no time, where he waited for Suzumi. He took her wrist and guided her out the door to their suite.

Haruka bit back a grin and glanced over at Eisuke, who stood next to her. His hands were in his pockets and his face was blank, save for a raised brow. "So, what did you guys talk about?"

"Stuff. Let's go."

Haruka watched the glint appear in his eye and took a step back. "Why?" Her grin intensified.

"Not sure what you did to her yet, but I already know you need to be punished."


	7. Contract Talks

Author's Note: _Hi! So, I meant to post this chapter about a week and a half ago, but I uploaded it and got distracted. My bad! Plus, I got distracted with another Voltage game (_Scandal in the Spotlight_; has anyone else played it yet? Thoughts?). I'm taking a small break from my other fandoms to do this story, I want to get along in the plot before I get mega busy in real life as we enter winter, so if I get some encouraging words from my readers, I'll maybe post weekly? hinthint. _

_As always, I write this story for myself, but choose to share. Because if you're all like me, you're on the hunt for stories that draw you in! Please leave reviews to let me know you're reading and what you think. They are what tells me I should keep posting._

_Thanks for reading!_

_Disclaimer: I only own people like Suzumi and Haruka. The rest is Voltage, Inc. Lyrics as stated._

* * *

"Holy water cannot help you now

A thousand armies couldn't keep me out

I don't want your money, I don't want your crown

See, I have to tell you, I've come to burn your kingdom down."

**Seven Devils** \- Florence and the Machine

Seven: Contract Talks

"Talk?"

"Yes. I've been gone for too long and have had to put off a lot. But it needs to be said now." Soryu looked her in the eye, leaning forward. "Are you okay with doing it right now?"

Suzumi bit her lip. "Yes?"

Soryu stood. "Let me get something, hold on." He felt her eyes follow him to his room and back. He sat the three folders he'd brought with him on the coffee table in between them, pushing them towards her.

"What's this?"

"This is all information about you, Suzumi Fukui. This includes your purchase paperwork from the auction. It is also the information on Natsumi Takara, including her death certificate." He slid one folder to the side. He tapped the next one. "This is information about your family." He paused when it came to the final folder. Making eye contact, he spoke his next words carefully so that she would understand.

"This last folder is what Inui found out about the Osiris Brethren, what they had on you, and what we hope to accomplish with your help."

"What do you want from me?" Suzumi's brow furrowed and she frowned as she looked Soryu in the eye.

Soryu stacked the first two files on one another and held them out to her. He stayed silent until she reluctantly took them and placed them in her lap.

"Those are for you. Those are peace offerings. I want you to trust me, to trust Inui who may come around more often, and I want to be able to trust you." His put his hand palm down on the last file. "If we can trust each other, we can get Taichi and his spoiled son out of Japan. We could collapse their empire."

Soryu's eyes were sharp. He saw the her knuckles go white as they gripped the folders, he saw her breathing hitch, and he swore he could even see the wheels in her head turning. He'd read the folder about her life before meeting him. She was smart, clever. He knew she'd have a caveat or two and he was okay with that.

"Why? Why me? What do I get out of it?"

A smirk grew on Soryu's lips. Her file didn't disappoint.

"Beyond obvious revenge, they are rivals of the Ice Dragons. They are a threat to what I am trying to build, they are a cancer in the world of the mafia. Their main headquarters is here in Japan and if we can get rid of them here, it's one less pig I have to deal with.

"You are special. As long as you are willing, you can participate in ways to help the Ice Dragons with this mission of ours. You are smart, your face is known by Taichi, and you are a dangerous weapon against him in his eyes. And I know you heard things while you were under their hospitality."

Suzumi grimaced but didn't deny it.

"As for what you get out of it, when it's over, obviously your freedom. Anything you accumulate living with me, and the Ice Dragons will help you find a place to live so that you can restart your life. Do you have anything else you would like to add or change?"

Frowning, she said, "Do I have to chose now? Can I decide later?"

Soryu paused, but nodded. "Yes. This won't happen overnight, or in a week or two even. It may take months. So long as your request is outrageous."

Suzumi nodded. "Okay. What do I have to do?"

Soryu smiled, but it was colder than she would have liked. She chalked it up to the mobster in him. "Tomorrow, we'll be going to see Inui at the Ice Dragon headquarters."

/*\

Suzumi woke up early the next morning, just before the sun rose. She wanted to read the information in them last night, but she'd been afraid. In sleep, she seemed to have found the courage she needed to open the first one that Soryu had given her. The one with her old information and the newer, forged papers. Clicking on the bedside lamp, she flipped it open and looked through the stuff she knew already. Though, she could definitely say that it was almost like reading about a stranger.

Natsumi Takara lived an average life with her parents, who were very middle class. Her father was an upper management cog in the machine of a technology company and her mother worked twice a week at a bookstore as a hobby, but otherwise was a normal housewife. Natsumi didn't have siblings but she seemed happy with her large group of friends. Many seemed to have grown up with her from a young age. Her school grades showed she was smart, excelling in most areas. She graduated a specialized Tokyo University having studied language and communication.

There were various pictures that must have come from her parents' house and her own apartment. Looking through them, she saw her life progress in spurts, including the photo Soryu had shown her the night she'd been purchased. That same report was in the folder, though very rudimentary compared to the pages of information he'd found after. It was funny, of all the things about the past, of Natsumi's life, Suzumi only missed her hair. She fingered the short curls wistfully. It was growing slowly, but nowhere near the length it had been. It would be years before it got that long again. This folder had information about her new identity, but seeing as she rarely saw anyone outside Soryu's circle, she didn't see the need to read it diligently yet.

Setting aside the first folder, she picked up the second. This supposedly had information on her parents. This information worried her most. What happened to her family when she disappeared?

Apparently, her father had also vanished. Though, his disappearance was of his own volition. He quietly divorced her mother and moved out. Her mother moved to California where her sister lived, unable to stay where her daughter disappeared and her husband left her. Soryu's thorough search had exact addresses for both of her parents, though. It seemed as though the Souma's had left her family to be, despite Ren's selfishly grabby nature when it had come to Natsumi. There was also bits of information on her closest friends and even her old apartment. Naturally, it had since changed hands. Her old items had been placed in storage, which was being paid by her mother still.

The last piece of paper in this folder, while not an official form, declared Natsumi Takara dead. There was a note scribbled on this copy, by someone other than Soryu. Perhaps Inui.

_Family and friends have not been informed yet. Pending leader's instruction._

"Suzumi? Are you awake?"

There was a knock on her door following the pleasant voice. Hiding the files under her pillows and feeling a bit ridiculous for doing so, she called back after a moment.

"Yes? Good morning…"

"I'm coming in!"

Inui poked his head in the room as the door opened, his face smiling despite the early morning hour.

"You're up early. The sun's just coming up!"

Suzumi grinned and sat up straighter in bed. "I could say the same for you. How are you?"

"I'm great! I came to take you to the office. Mr. Oh had to leave early this morning due to an emergency. He said we could stop for breakfast on the way, isn't that awesome?" Inui looked delighted at the chance to go out and smiled large for Suzumi.

"Oh… Okay. When do we leave?"

"Soon as you're ready! I'll be in the living room when you're done, Suzumi!"

The door shut with a click of finality and Suzumi was struck with a sense of whiplash. Inui was a kind man, but was easily excitable. He was the complete opposite of Soryu, who was reserved with his words and rarely spoke loud. Suzumi wasn't sure which she preferred, but if she ever needed to be woken up quickly, she knew Inui could do the job.

Half an hour later, the two left the Tres Spades, passing Eisuke in the lobby. The owner raised a brow at her being so far from the penthouses but didn't say a word. He just continued to talk to the well-dressed man in front of him, plastering on what looked to her to be a completely fake smile. Her first steps outside the building were not earth shattering or remarkable, but Suzumi relished the feel of the breeze as it blew across her skin. She ignored Inui's confused glance and gestured for him to lead the way.

"This is the kind of place you like to eat at, Inui?"

Suzumi looked around at the frilly cafe that he'd taken her to, her eyes filled with pastels and lace. It wasn't necessarily a themed cafe, but the overall vibe had Suzumi giving Inui side glances.

"I thought I'd bring you here, since you've been in the hotel this whole time. You like girly things, right?" Inui's smile was big as he ate a large piece of waffle. He looked very proud of himself for thinking of the cafe and Suzumi didn't have the heart to tell him it was a little over the top.

"Thank you, Inui. Though, should we be eating so leisurely? We've been here almost an hour…"

Inui choked, face turning red, and Suzumi had to pat him on the back. "Mr. Oh's waiting for us! I forgot! Are you done?" When she nodded, he threw some money on the table and stood. "Let's go. The office is close, but we've kept him waiting!"

A rushed ten minute jog found both of them standing in the doorway of the Ice Dragon's office, Soryu glaring at Inui with his arms crossed and Inui bowing repeatedly. "What took you so long? I sent you out almost three hours ago. It's already ten."

Suzumi bowed as well, "I'm sorry. Inui was being nice and we got distracted." She heard Soryu sigh and looking up, she saw his face relax and his hand scratching the back of his neck.

"It's fine. Inui, go do your duties. Suzumi, come with me." Soryu motioned for her to follow and the two of them left a bowing Inui at the door.

He led her through a sitting room where two hard-looking men sat, bent over paperwork and talking strategy. They both paused as she and Soryu came through, looks of confusion crossing their features. Soryu ignored them and lead her to a hallway and to a partially opened door. Allowing her to enter first, he breezed in behind her and shut the door with a snap.

"Sit."

Suzumi immediately complied, sitting in one of the simple office chairs that faced the leather one Soryu was lowering himself into behind the desk. To her, it looked to be a clean, clutterless office. The only sign of use were the stacks of paperwork on his desk, still neatly piled despite covering the majority of the space. Across from her, Soryu sighed and rubbed at his eyes.

"Next time you're with Inui, keep him on task? I'm sure you've noticed by now he's…" He trailed off, looking for the right word.

"Perky?"

"Distractible. He shows his age. He's a valuable member of the Ice Dragons but we can't afford for him to get distracted by your presence and wool gather when he should be working. Just remind him of what you're supposed to be doing and he'll snap back in place."

Soryu sighed once more but quickly straightened up in his seat. He sorted through some papers in front of him and pulled out a thin packet, tossing it over to Suzumi. She looked down at the packet and her eyes skated over the first page.

_...drug trafficking through Tokyo-Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ginza…_

_...human trafficking in greater Kyoto, Shiga…_

_...plans to move to Hong Kong…_

_...possible Prime Minister backdoor support…_

_...arms deal with ..._

"What...What is this?" Suzumi couldn't tear her eyes from the words, but she found herself unable to process what they meant.

"Those are Taichi's current operations. Some he's launched and abandoned, letting them run wild while reaping the rewards, others are in the works. I have one that concerns me the most, but gutting the Osiris Brethren from the face of the Earth will take care of the other vile things he's doing, too." Soryu steepled his fingers and leaned on his elbows, watching Suzumi's reactions. Her face was painted with horror as she flipped through more of the details in the pages that followed. The more she read, the angrier and more violent her page turns back and forth became. A smile grew on his lips; she was going to be perfect for his plans.

"What do I have to do?"

Her face was pale, save two pink spots of anger on her cheeks. Her hands gripped the papers with white knuckles and her back was straight as a board. Suzumi radiated fear, rage, and determination and for some reason, it pleased Soryu that she seemed to understand the situation.

"I'm going to put you directly in front of Taichi's face, flaunt that you're in my fold and force his hand."

* * *

**A/N:** _Thank you!_


	8. Saints and Sinners

**Author's Note:** _Hello! Here's another chapter, like I promised. I decided to make this story my NaNoWriMo project this year. So, if it all goes according to plan, you should get a chapter or two a week. I just need cheerleaders like you-the reader-to keep me going. So please keep reviewing, I appreciate them and it tells me people are reading what I post._

_From here on out, the story earns its rating. I'm not warning about anything. If you have questions, PM me before reading the chapter. I can't properly tag here like on AO3, but the tags there do include trigger warnings and various types of violence. It doesn't necessarily happen here, but, well, here's the one warning._

_If you want to hear me ramble, I'll have a second A/N at the bottom. I've come to some realizations!Ack._

_No corresponding lyrics this time. Everything I wanted to use wasn't _quite_ right._

_Enjoy, please!_

**Disclaimer**: I own Suzumi and Haruka, etc. Everyone else belongs to Voltage, Inc.

* * *

Eight: Saints and Sinners

"I don't understand…" Suzumi looked at Soryu's smirking face, bewildered and just a little frightened. Soryu could tell the thought of Taichi Souma made her sweat, her eyes dilated in fear like a small animal. For a brief moment, he felt bad, but collected himself before he could give it off.

"You will pose as my woman. I will flaunt you and with proper goading, Souma will slip up and I can stop him from trying to expand to Hong Kong and eradicate the pests that follow him."

Suzumi's face paled further. "I don't think I…"

Soryu frowned. "We do have a deal. But I can guess some of the reasons you'd be worried. I won't take you into public around any Souma or underling just yet. You're still recovering from their...hospitality," Soryu's brows furrowed and the word dripped with venom. Suzumi was surprised at his hostility but kept quiet. "You need to get used to people. Men other than the idiots in the penthouse, my men especially. Inui is nice and naive, but if you're going to pretend to be my woman, you'll be around the Ice Dragons a lot and you can't be skittish around them. They're not all evil, hard men but they aren't all Inui either. To be fair, Inui isn't a saint, either," he added, muttering the last part.

"How am I going to accomplish that? I don't really get to leave the suite." Suzumi looked at Soryu worriedly. She didn't think he understood the...problem she had, but she wanted to hear his plan for what constituted as a fraction of her issues.

He nodded, seeing where her thoughts were going. "I'm going to give you more freedoms. I don't particularly want you leaving the hotel without myself or an Ice Dragon but I am also aware the moment Baba and Ota find out I've loosened the leash, they'll be all over you. I want you to just get my permission if you go somewhere without me. I still want to know where you're at. You can technically be in danger at any time and I promise to keep you safe while you work with me."

Suzumi's eyes drifted back to the papers in her hands, now slightly crumpled from her nerves. There was a lot she wanted to ask about, to ask for but she hesitated. Not because she was afraid, timid as usual. But because even though she'd basically lived with Soryu Oh for over a month now and was dependent on his whim, he was virtually still a stranger. And really, how did one ask a stranger if she could just _talk_ at them? Even her budding friendship with Haruka made her hesitate; Haruka was headstrong was quick to action but all Suzumi really needed was someone to just listen. Listen and then offer support. Soryu's quiet nature called to her in that respect, she supposed. She refrained from the desire to speak out on what she really wanted and instead said,

"Is there anything you need me to do today?"

Soryu watched the wordless thoughts that seemed to dance across her face and frowned with worry. He didn't know how to deal with women, let alone a near broken woman. He could see words threaten to spill from her lips, but was surprised when she managed to swallow them. She had control, which was impressive. When she offered action immediately, he couldn't say he was surprised. She was a determined sort.

"You'll meet with my men who are here now. We'll start our story now, in case of rats. I will introduce you, you shouldn't have to say much. Then I'll have another Ice Dragon take you back to the Tres Spades. I'm busy and Inui's got duties to attend to."

"Will you come back to the suite today?"

If Soryu was surprised that she asked, he kept it hidden. "I'm not sure. I have meetings and I have this paperwork that's piled up." He gestured around him. He didn't miss the look of disappointment in her eyes. "I'll see what I can do." His hand automatically went to the back of his neck, where he rubbed it awkwardly. He didn't miss the smile that grew on her lips. "Let's go introduce you."

* * *

/*\

Suzumi had to admit, the Ice Dragons were _nothing_ like their counterparts of the Osiris Brethren. Yes, they were mob members but they weren't cruel for the sake of entertainment nor did they spend their free time drinking themselves under the table across the office. Before meeting Ren Souma, she didn't have a clear idea of what mobsters were like except the American movies and yakuza films. They embodied some of the stereotypes but on other levels, they'd been so much worse. Movies made it seem like death was the only option, but death was too easy.

She'd met the two men who had been in the sitting room when she'd arrived. Kenji and Akira were gruff in voice and looks, but after the shock of Soryu telling them he was dating her wore off, they'd been friendly towards her. Their smiles were genuine and they'd slapped their boss' back jovially.

"Good catch, Sir!" Akira grinned and winked at Suzumi while Soryu sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"She's cute," laughed Kenji, watching Suzumi blush under the attention.

Suzumi looked down at her shoes, fighting the flush on her cheeks but failing miserably. The two men settled down and updated Soryu on the location of other members, including one called Samejima. They left the room, taking their notes with them, promising to bring Samejima to Soryu and Suzumi.

"Sorry about that," muttered Soryu. Suzumi peaked up from between her lashes and saw a surprising amount of blushing gracing his cheeks. She couldn't help but chuckle. "What?"

"I didn't think you got embarrassed over stuff like this," she grinned.

Soryu started to respond, but paused. Off the top of his head, he couldn't recall a time where she'd smiled so freely since coming under his care. If something as small as teasing him occasionally would make her more relaxed, he supposed he could allow it from time to time.

"Of course. I am human. I'm not known for...bringing around women. So this is highly unusual." His eyes glanced at Suzumi once more and noted that she looked content. Her body had relaxed since first arriving and instead of keeping her arms stiffly at her sides, she had her arms crossed casually.

"The man you're going to meet next is Samejima. He comes directly from Hong Kong, highly recommended. Actually…"

"You asked for me, Sir?

Soryu paused, looking to the doorway at the newcomer and Suzumi followed suit. Young, around the age of Inui but slimmer, the newcomer had a blank mask of indifference as he bowed and looked up at Soryu.

"Samejima. This is Suzumi. She is my girlfriend and will be a frequent visitor here to the office. I'm also putting you in charge of her security."

"Sir?"

"Wait, what?"

Both Samejima and Suzumi spoke at once, both confused at Soryu's order. Samejima was baffled at the word 'girlfriend' coming from his leader. Suzumi was at a loss, her mind unable to process what 'security' really detailed.

"Suzumi, I told you that I can't always be there. Samejima will be the Ice Dragon who can be your bodyguard when I am not there. He won't always be present, but should you want to leave the suite, please call him."

"Sir, was this the task you mentioned a few weeks ago for me? This situation isn't what I pictured." Samejima's face was indifferent, but the furrow of his brow belayed his disappointment in assignment.

Soryu nodded to the younger man. "Yes. For the most part, I have asked Suzumi to stay indoors for her safety lately. But I can't force her to stay locked up. I can't always be there, I have the Ice Dragons to run, but I can have one of my most trusted taking care of her should she need to go out in public. Can I trust you with this?"

"Sir…" Samejima's eyes widened, realizing what Soryu was implying. "Yes, sir. Absolutely." He bowed deeply.

"Take Suzumi home now. I have work to do if I plan on leaving anytime soon." In an action that not only surprised Suzumi and Samejima but Soryu himself, he put a hand on her head and patted her gently. Her eyes met his and the two of them froze, startled by the intimate contact. Soryu pulled his hand back as if it was struck by lightening and coughed nervously.

Deciding to fill the awkward silence, Suzumi turned to Samejima and bowed. "Thank you for protecting me. I hope I won't be any trouble."

"You don't need to bow to me, Suzumi. You're the boss' woman, right?" Samejima's lips quirked up slightly. It dawned on her in that moment that Samejima knew she and Soryu weren't really a couple.

"Y-yes."

The two started to head for the door when she heard, "I'll see you tonight, Suzumi. But don't stay up waiting" from Soryu. She smiled unconsciously.

* * *

/*\

Suzumi recognized the scenery outside as the view from the penthouse suites and realized that she and Samejima were already in Odaiba near the Tres Spades. It had been a quick ride on the train and nearly a fifteen minute walk from there to the fancy hotel. She could see the tall, glamourous building several blocks up and, despite the freedom she had that day, she was glad to be going back to somewhere familiar.

"Is there anywhere you want to go before we go back to the Tres Spades? Do you need anything?" Samejima spoke for the first time since they'd left the Ice Dragons' office, looking down to Suzumi who looked surprised at being addressed.

"No...I don't need anything."

"I'm aware of the situation between you and the boss. I don't know a lot about you, but I hope you can come to a point where you become more confident around myself and others. It won't due for the image of his girlfriend to be so timid. You act like any moment I'll shoot you." Samejima kept his eyes forward, face blank as he spoke. His voice was quiet, even so that others walking around him wouldn't be able to clearly hear what he said.

"I do not!" Suzumi gaped, flushing at how on point the man was.

"You do. It may not be intentional, but you flinch slightly when addressed." They continued to walk and he continued to murmur. "Just now, that's the first time I've seen you talk as if you're comfortable with people. I was watching you and Inui today in order to get a feel for a woman Mr Oh was bringing into the fold. I assume you are less tense around Inui not only because you've had multiple interactions with him, but because he's so childlike most of the time."

"I want to remind you that, while it's great to feel comfortable around him, you need to remember he is just like myself or Akira. In fact, he's pretty adept at getting information in multiple ways. Don't be afraid of him suddenly, but don't underestimate him."

Suzumi nodded, thinking. As they walked into the lobby of the hotel, she could tell he was subtly checking their surroundings. They went to the special elevator and Suzumi inserted the key Soryu had given her the day before. The entire ride up, Samejima was quiet. But the silence at away at her brain, making her itch.

"Samejima, I will work towards acting more...normal. You don't have to worry about that. My main concern is the end result and not causing trouble. I would like to get out of this alive, but I'm well aware there is no guarantee."

The surprise from her blunt comments registered on Samejima's face, his brows raised and mouth open slightly. He smiled at her. "You'll survive. Mr Oh, when he vows something, follows through and I know he's promised to keep you safe."

After checking the suite for any tampering or hiding unwanted guests, Samejima saw Suzumi settled in before leaving for the office. Once she was alone, Suzumi was able to let out a large sigh as she collapsed on the sofa. The silence in the room rang in her ears, but it wasn't completely irritating. She knew part of the ringing came from the tension leaving her after being around so many people. She glanced at the clock sitting on a bookshelf and saw it was past lunch and was surprised Haruka wasn't already calling the suite, asking to see if she was okay. As of late, the housekeeper had taken to bringing anything Suzumi called down for if she didn't have her hands full. She wasn't sure if it was something Haruka had asked to take on or if it was the idea of one of the men in the penthouse. A call down for room service and a quick shower later, Suzumi was settled in front of the hidden TV eating a light lunch brought by a random clerk of the hotel. When she asked about Haruka, Suzumi was told that she was of running errands for the owner.

* * *

/*\

"...umi? Suzimi? I told you not to wait up…"

Lost to the fuzziness of sleep, Suzumi thought she heard someone talking to her, but was unable to respond. Instead, she was able to feel the sensation of warmth and a gentle swaying before stillness once more. The warmth left, but centered on her head once more.

* * *

/*\

"And if your maggots get caught, you know who to name, yes?"

Taichi Souma glared at the man on his knees in front of him, pistol in hand. He grinned viciously at the bruises that already littered the skin of the man's face and was looking forward to the knowledge that more would appear later.

"T-the Ice Dragons." Lips swollen, the answer came out slightly raspy but it was still clearly understood.

"That's right. Get the fuck out of my office before I change my mind on you."

Ignoring the man as he scrambled out of the warehouse, Souma turned and took the pack of cigarettes off the steel table. Lighting one, he took a long drag and let out the smoke with relish. His eyes didn't open when he heard one of his subordinates walk up and bow.

"Sir, there's still no confirmation. And both Ena and Inagaki are missing, we assume they were both killed."

Souma took another drag, opening his eyes to glare at his grunt. "Anything else? Anything good?"

"The only knowledge we have is that Soryu Oh bought her, but we don't know if he kept her or not. If he has, there are no signs of where she is being kept. No sightings in the Tres Spades nor around known safe houses or offices of the Ice Dragons. None of his subordinates are making out of the normal trips or errands and Oh seems to spend most days in one of their offices."

Souma waved the man off, dismissing him. Alone, save the guards at the doors of the warehouse, Taichi cursed softly and dropped the used butt of his cigarette on the concrete ground. Forcefully, he ground the glowing tip with his polished shoe.

"Ren is lucky he's an only child. Such a fool." He eyed the cigarettes one more time, but decided against it. "Then again, I should have shot the girl myself and I wouldn't be in this mess."

Turning back to the table behind him, Taichi shoved the pack of smokes to the side and flipped through the folders in front of him. Four major deals he had going, but two were what he considered his current crown jewels. Fingers tracing the words '_Hong Kong_' on one for a moment, he shoved that one aside, letting the papers fly off the table and scatter across the cold floor. Soon, another followed, the sounds of abandoned plans slicing through the stagnant, smoky air. The folder itself slid reluctantly off the table and plopped at Souma's feet.

Casually flipping open of the remaining folders, he read over his carefully laid plans and grinned. This plan relied on more people and groups than what he really wanted, but Souma knew a good opportunity and a useful ally when one was presented. Any opportunity to strengthen the Osiris Brethren, a group founded by his grandfather in the Taisho period, he gladly took. It was his legacy. Any chance to make himself more money, he took by the throat. He liked a life of comfort. And any chance he had to knock Soryu Oh down the ground like the slug he was. Life was about the simple pleasures. The second folder remained closed, but it was his second money maker. And, if he could get that slippery bitch back under his thumb, he wouldn't sell her or shoot her. No. He had bigger plans for her in Shiga or Kyoto.

* * *

**A/N:** _So I have had whatever terrible sickness is going around and I spent most of the last week either being sent home from work or sleeping. But when I was awake, I spent a lot of time with my Voltage games. First, I'm eagerly waiting for _KBTBB_ Season 3 for Soryu. I actually really enjoyed Eisuke's and if I like that, I know I'll love Soryu's. Second, I played a lot of the other games I have too, which include _Scandal In the Spotlight_ (come on, season 2! Kota is my favorite in that game, followed by Kyohei. It's surprising because I never like the main promo'd character that well), _My Forged Wedding_ (Hello, Akito and Takao), _Love Letter From Thief X_ (catching up on all the substories I've had but never read. Yuki, the Kujo brothers, Hiro or Takuto are my favorites there. But honestly, they're all hard to choose from in that game), _My Wedding and 7 Rings_ (impatiently waiting for Kai's Sequel), _My Last First Kiss_'s Ichiya (nope. Never again. Waiting on the younger Morimachi Riku, since I liked his brother Makoto), and even tried today's new release of _Butler Until Midnight_. I played Yuma and found him okay. His backstory is more appealing than his personality. Unfortunately, the character it looks like I'm most interested in, Itsuki, will be last. Booo. Has anyone noticed my favorite character trend? I realized it a few months ago after nearly two and a half years of playing Voltage games when I started updating this story again._

_I also went and tried reading fanfics for some of these games and I was so disappointed. Are there any good ones elsewhere that you guys know of that you're all keeping from me?! Send a girl some love and some links in a PM! I play almost all of the characters in a game (Ichiya, you get to be one of the few I loathe. Don't get me started on Iori from SITP. I just can't. And I'm not at all intrigued by Hiroto in MWA7R.) so I'm interested in almost any character story well written._

_Anyway, I better wrap this up. I have to be to work in 8 hours. Oops! Thanks for reading so please review!_


	9. Before and Back Stage

_**Author's Note: **This one is short because it's not a normal chapter. I'll be posting one or two more this week to compensate. As a warning, this chapter deals with heavy stuff. I hate to use the term, but I guess to be safe "trigger warning" is best suited._

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone but Haruka and Suzumi/Natsumi. All else belongs to Voltage._

* * *

**Nine.**

**Two Months Ago**

"I see you didn't eat again today. You're being disrespectful to my hospitality, Natsumi."

Ren Souma stared down at the woman in front of him, curled up on the futon he'd provided her weeks ago. Brows furrowed in frustration, he felt a distinct lack of control over both the situation and her and if there was one thing he hated, it was a lack of control. He didn't have it for his own future, but he'd sure as hell be able to be the puppet master for those he considered under him. Especially his own toys. His only satisfaction came from the shudder that he witnessed run through her when he spoke.

"When lunch is brought to you, I expect you to eat it. I'm taking you with me tonight again and I can't bring a skeleton. The maids will bring your outfit after you eat. I'll be asking about the results and if you fail to eat, I will force you to eat."

He left the room, slamming the sliding door with more force than he should have. The wood shuddered under the mistreatment but he ignored it in favor of stomping away. He had a deal to make with a minor gang in Asakusa and he wanted a sensuous woman draped on him and the withering form of Natsumi wouldn't do. It would make him look weak, too poor to feed his mistresses and lacking any kind of power. If this deal fell through, his father would have his hide and if that happened, he would gladly beat the payment out of her. She was slowly becoming nothing but trouble. The moments of relief and pleasure he found in her were fewer and further between as she began to react less and less and, though it stung to admit it, it seemed he was wrong about the spirit she carried. The image he had of her when he first met her was wrong, she was just another weak woman good for one thing.

Six hours later, he went to her locked room and gave himself entry. The maids informed him that she at almost all of her lunch and had eaten the bulk of her dinner, which satisfied him. Two meals in one day was a triumph considering that her average was four in a week and he would gladly take it. And once more, Natsumi had obeyed and was clothed in the party wear he'd ordered the maids to dress her in. She stood near the small window of the room, staring out into the courtyard and bathed in the light of the setting sun. He had to admit, despite her shrinking form, she could wear a kimono with elegance to make any of the other mob wives jealous. For the first time in nearly two weeks, he wanted her. The frustration and anger he'd held towards her was outweighed but he had no time for his own needs.

"Natsumi," he snapped. Now he was frustrated for a different reason.

She jumped at the sound of his voice, making him smirk in gratification. He head turned from the window to look at him and Ren could feel the uncertainty radiate off her.

"Let's go. You'll be my accessory again tonight. Keep your mouth shut and try to give off an ounce of sexiness and I might be happy." He snapped his fingers and she quickly shuffled to his side. "We're going to Asakusa, you remember the group there, correct?" He grabbed her elbow and lead her through the house to the waiting car.

"Yes," she murmured, keeping her eyes downward.

"What do you remember?"

"Small gang, maybe fifty members the last time you spoke of them to me. Leader is Nobuyuki Honda, his wife is Miu. They have several restaurants used as fronts." Natsumi rattled off the information as if speaking to a teacher and her memory of the tidbits he'd taught her pleased him.

"Correct. Tonight, I have a potential deal with them to begin a possible merger into the Brethren. They're an older gang, never big on expanding. They've kept to themselves in Asakusa for more than a hundred years. They could keep their name but be backed and work for the Brethren otherwise. We don't have a hold in that part of town yet, I expect you to behave."

The _or else_ rang in the silence and Natsumi could do nothing but nod and bow her head, keeping her eyes down. This, however, was not what Ren wanted and he could feel the muscles in her neck protest as his hand roughly grabbed her chin and jerked her face towards him. She barely had time to blink before he had his lips roughly on hers, forcing her mouth open. Out of instinct, Natsumi tried to snap her mouth shut and push him away, a cry escaped her lips. Her struggle was met with a slap in the face and a vice like grip on her wrist.

"You don't get to deny me." He twisted his grip, making her grimace. She knew not to make any noise, no matter how much it hurt. "Fix your make up and I'll deal with you later."

As expected of her, Natsumi draped herself on Ren, sat on his lap, and fed him the delicacies offered to him by the Honda gang. She did it all with the pleasant, neutral face she'd been schooled to paste on by the maids of the Souma household and kept her eyes downward. No one bothered to speak to her, no one offered her any refreshments, nor told her not to listen to their plans. In the three hours the drinking meeting lasted, Natsumi was horrified to learn of the business behind the famous restaurants of the town and if she wasn't terrified of the deep repercussions that would result, her face would have gone bone pale and her mouth gaping open. She wanted to run but despite the obvious inability, she didn't think her legs would actually carry her to the door of the room, let alone out into the night and away from these deadly men.

By the time the sun rose in the sky, Natsumi found herself naked and once again black and blue in her small room, alone. Something in Ren after returning to the Souma estate snapped and he'd taken every opportunity in releasing his frustrations on her. Spurred on by her cries, the first he'd heard from her in weeks, it lasted most of the night until he'd once more grown bored of her eventual lack of reaction. After a numbness spread through her battered body, Natsumi had shut down. A defense mechanism she'd developed to make him stop sooner than later. He liked reaction and if he couldn't get it, he stopped after a few minutes. Her newest trophy from the night was a sore, throbbing wrist. One that he continually injured and never allowed to heal. Whether he was doing it intentionally or not, she didn't know and rarely spent time dwelling on it.

Ren was curiously absent for three days following his outburst on Natsumi. She didn't let down her guard, but was thankful for the respite and allowed herself to nibble on the meals brought to her. Her first visitor outside of the maids was more terrifying than Ren; Taichi Souma, his father.

The man was large, imposing, and his face was full of smug cruelty every time she'd ever seen him. She'd been looking through the small window in the room once more when he came to visit. Startled at his presence, she'd forgotten to bow and gaped at the large silhouette he created in the doorway. Too late, she realized why a look of irritation crossed his face as he knocked her down and forced her forehead to the ground.

"All the more reason why I need to throw you away. You lack any kind of manners, bitch."

Taichi snapped his fingers and two men came into the room, surrounding Natsumi. "Dump her in the bay. Ren's too old for toys that don't work properly and I certainly don't need any illegitimate brats under foot. Don't let anyone see you."

"You know, I heard there's a black market auction tonight. I bet we could sell her and get some cash."

Natsumi was blindfolded but could hear the two men talk from the front of the van. She sighed, unsure of how she felt of the current situation. She was about to die, tied to bricks and thrown into Tokyo Bay, which was a terrible thought. But on the other hand, she was out of the Souma household and Ren wouldn't touch her again. It was a toss up on emotion. Judging from the current conversation the two grunts were having, it sounded like there was a potential third option, one that didn't guarantee any kind of relief or safety.

"Taichi will shoot us both if he finds out. Fujioka is attending for the boss."

"We'll just cut her hair, maybe scar her face and he won't recognize her. Besides, Ren rarely let her out of the room, right? I doubt Fujioka will recognize her."

"Don't scar her face, we'll get less for her. I'm sure I've got a blade or something in back. Cut her hair, I'll enter her into the auction. I know a guy."

An hour later, Natsumi found herself standing by the van she'd been transported in underground in a parking garage. Hands and legs bound, she could do nothing but glare as the smaller, squat grunt tugged painfully on her hair as he hacked away at it. Tears threatened to run, but she let the prickling sensation of holding back keep her grounded.

"Don't quit your day job, you suck at this," she muttered, watching as chunks of her hair fell to the cement. He smacked her head and gave another tug with what was left of her hair.

"Keep your opinions to yourself. Your new owner may not like them, whore. When the item manager comes to fetch you, you get a choice. They'll ask if you're willing to be sold. If you say no, we'll just drown you. Either way, you lose. So it's all a matter of perspective. Live or die. Done."

"I'll clean this mess up. Take her to the meeting point."

A bored looking man, reeking of mafia with a rough face and a clipboard met them in a deserted hallway. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. "Are you a willing human, aware that you are to be sold at auction?"

The grunt squeezed her still injured wrist, willing her to hurry and answer.

"Yes."

"And you fully consent to being sold, aware that any person may place a bid for any amount and that your mind and body may or may not be yours any longer?"

Another squeeze. "Yes."

"This way then."

Led to a cage, Natsumi could hear the buzz of talking, that of a large crowd in an auditorium. The sound was deafening in her ears and all around her, people were shuffling priceless works of art, and briefcases handcuffed to protected individuals. On the other side of the curtain, she could hear someone call out to the crowd.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen! Our next item up for bid, a healthy young woman!"

The spotlight was bright against her eyes and the heat was stifling. The only thing she could do was stand up straight and look out into the crowd of masked people and hope for kindness.

* * *

**Author's Note:** _Yes, I'm alive. Life is just hectic. I have no plans of abandoning this story. I just wait for what seems to be the right moments. Reviews are lovely. Thanks for reading!_


	10. Trust

**Author's Note: **_Here's that second chapter of the week I mentioned. The story's getting legit now, so if some thought it was boring...Well, pay attention._

**Disclaimer: **_I own people like Suzumi and Haruka and the Osiris Brethren. Voltage owns everything else._

* * *

_You need me less than I need you_  
_Take it from me_  
_We don't give sympathy_  
_You can trust me trust nobody_

**Trust Me** \- The Fray

**Ten.**

**Two Months After**

"Soryu, I don't think you should be as worried about them moving into Hong Kong. It was rarely brought up."

Soryu looked up from his paperwork, seeing Suzumi standing next to him looking down at the folders in front of him. All intelligence gathered about the Osiris Brethren that needed to be weeded through to find proper leads and toss the false plans. He hadn't realized she was even in the office, the last he'd seen her was last night as they ate a quiet dinner from room service. Checking his watch, he saw it was nearly dinner once more.

"When did you get here? Who brought you?"

"Um, maybe half an hour ago? I've been talking with Inui and some of the others. Samejima brought me when I asked."

Soryu frowned. "Why would you _want_ to come here?" He saw her frown slightly, but kept quiet. He couldn't tell if it was disappointment or a leftover tick from expecting to be yelled at for making a decision.

Suzumi's eyes refused to meet his, instead scanning some of the open folders on Soryu's desk. "You all keep telling me I need to be less timid and visiting seems like a girlfriend kind of thing to do. Samejima was pleased I took an initiative, though not so much one like this. He's been kind enough to coach me on how I should be behaving around the Ice Dragons."

"Were you seen? Did you pay attention to your surroundings?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'm learning discretion. I'm glad I came, though, if this is the lead you're thinking of following."

Soryu sat his folder down and leaned back. He gestured for her to take a seat opposite of him at the desk and asked her to elaborate. Perhaps he'd been going at this wrong.

"I spent a good majority of the time in the room I was given. However, the times when I was more docile, Ren would take me out into the other parts of the house. Especially when parties or general drinking happened. He and the lower thugs have extremely loose lips when drinking so they talk without a care to who's in the room. I would find myself in the room with Taichi sometimes, too. He didn't care who heard him just because he'd kill anyone he didn't approve of anyway. I also was taken out of the house on three occasions, all of them meetings with a potential partner gang."

Soryu couldn't hold back the surprise that showed on his face. At best, he thought Suzumi would have heard whispers or the occasional phone call, he hadn't thought any of the Soumas had been stupid enough to speak in front of her. No wonder Taichi had been interested in knowing she was with him. "Which gang did Ren meet with?"

"I was never told the name. But it was one of the long standing groups in Asakusa. They own-."

"Restaurants. I know who they are," he interrupted. "Shit. They're small, but the Honda's have a power behind them. They even have influence in the Diet. Did the deal go through?"

Suzumi shook her head. "No, nothing had been finalized the last time I knew. I went to one of their meetings a few days before I was sold. The meeting was...weird." Her eyes met with Soryu's, and was surprised to see his whole attention focused on her.

"Explain."

"Honda hadn't said he agreed to the merger, however he was talking about a partnership in a particular venture." She couldn't help the shiver that ran through her. "The Osiris Brethren are also in Kyoto, right? This venture was for Kyoto and Shiga… Large-scale human trafficking."

Soryu didn't bother to fight the frown that grew. Human trafficking was in terrible taste, children of course being the worst, but the entire practice was seedy and it was no wonder they didn't really dabble with it in the auctions. Suzumi was the first human to actually be sold and, in the rules that they didn't think they would really need to enact, came willingly to the stage. Haruka had been close but due to Eisuke's keen eye and intuition for keeping things legitimate, he'd witnessed her unwillingness to be put in the cage and the two of them had put a stop to it. Across from him, he could see that Suzumi had shrunk in on herself a little, a slice of her confidence vanished at the mention of human trafficking.

"Calm down, Suzumi. You're here, nothing will happen to you. Taichi and his spawn won't get their hands on you."

Suzumi smiled bitterly. "Thanks. But it's not just that. It's the whole idea of it. They're focusing on women and kids…" She trailed off, keeping her eyes locked with his hoping to convey her meaning.

It only took him a heartbeat to understand and with a curse, he stood and stomped out of the room. Surprised, she followed Soryu out of his office and into the common area where a group of Ice Dragons were going over a map.

"Everyone up. If anyone else is available, I need you all to contact them and pass on this message. Find out everything you can about human trafficking and the Osiris Brethren. Don't get involved yet, just gather information. Which cities, Suzumi?"

"Shiga and Kyoto…"

"You heard her. Pair up, don't get caught."

"Um...Wait."

The men all turned to Suzumi, who raised a hand to stop them from leaving yet. Soryu raised a brow, but didn't stop her from speaking. She had more information than he did at the moment and anything would help.

"I think they're looking at blaming the Ice Dragons. Look for anyone saying it's all Ice Dragon work, too. Not just Osiris Brethren."

The men in the room shouted in fury, looking to Soryu to match their outrage. Instead, the look on the Ice Dragon leader's face contained a pure rage Suzumi never thought she'd have to see again. It was a look she'd seen many times on Ren's during his fits of rage, but for entirely different reasons. The look on Soryu's face didn't terrify her half as much and knowing it was because the Ice Dragons might be in danger left her breathless. She didn't think it was possible for a mob boss to _care_ about is people.

"Samejima, take Suzumi back then meet with me here." Soryu turned to go back into his office, stopping in front of Suzumi. "Go back to the suite. Stay there, don't leave. Call Haruka or Ota or Baba for things." He put his hands on her shoulders and made eye contact with her. "Thank you for the information, you've done well." Giving her shoulders a squeeze, he smiled briefly before walking away again.

"Soryu, be careful."

"Suzumi, let's go. It's getting late and I want to get you back before dark." Samejima stood next to her silently, urging her towards the door.

It wasn't until they were in the elevator of the Tres Spades that Suzumi spoke.

"Please be careful. I'll feel bad if any of you get hurt or worse because of information I gave you."

Samejima gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry so much. If we didn't have this info, it could be even worse. I'll do my best to keep the boss safe, too."

"What are you guys going to do?"

He hesitated, allowing her to step out of the elevator first upon reaching the correct floor. "It depends on what we find."

"Is Soryu going to come home tonight?"

"Probably not. He'll likely want to head the group going to Kyoto, honestly." Samejima watched as she unlocked the suite door and stepped inside to check the room quickly for her. Finding it clear, he bowed to her at the door. "Don't overthink it. We'll all be fine. I'll have the boss call you when we're done, if he's available. I'm sorry I won't be available to assist you while we're away, but Mr Oh's friends are dependable if you get in a pinch. Goodnight, Suzumi."

/*\

Three days.

It had been three days since the Ice Dragons had gone off after getting information from Suzumi and in those three days, she'd imagined every terrible scenario that could have happened to them. Haruka had spent the second day with her, realizing she was spending most of her time staring out of the view of Odaiba and the water and had taken to not ordering food.

Eisuke was fine with giving the maid the day off after hearing the situation. Soryu was a grown man and had his periods where he didn't show up to the penthouse, but after learning where the man went, the crease in his brow and unhappy frown spoke volumes to Suzumi, who realized the two were actually close friends in her time spent on the 51st floor.

On the morning of the third day, Baba and Ota had shown up to take her down to the casino, trying to get her mind distracted. However she firmly stated that she wasn't leaving the room, ordered to not leave the suite by Soryu himself. After a bit of pouting, Ota disappeared, only to come back to jewelry tools and supplies and taught Suzumi how to make simple jewelry. He was impressed her her concept of color but laughed at her struggles with the tools.

"You're funny, little sparrow." He tousled her hair affectionately with a smile.

"Don't call me that," she growled.

"But that's your name. Should I give you a pet name instead? You are a pet...Hmm, Koro is more for a dog, but what about Sora?" He smirked at the angry glare he received. "Yeah, Sora will do."

"I hate you."

"No you don't. Now work on your necklace and I'll teach you how to finish it."

There was a silence before Suzumi spoke again. "You do realize that I'm older than you, right Ota? You should have more respect for your elders."

"Are you saying you're old?" A dark grin crossed his lips.

"No!"

"How old are you, Sora?"

Silence.

"Sora?"

"Suzumi?"

"I'm twenty eight."

Ota hummed. "So you _are _old."

"Shut up."

More silence and as Ota helped her attach the clasp to her new necklace, Suzumi watched him work with his artist's hands and smiled.

"Thanks, Ota."

"For what, this? This is nothing. Don't be silly, Sora."

/*\

Suzumi was debating whether or not to go to bed, realizing the clock read almost two in the morning. As she stood from the couch and stretched, the door behind her clicked and in walked Soryu looking worse for wear.

"Soryu?!"

Looking up, Soryu was shocked to see Suzumi still awake. He was even more so surprised to see worry and relief simultaneously written across her face. When she crumpled to the ground, he met her and grabbed her arm. Pulling her up, he sat her on the couch and collapsed across from her on the opposite one.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean? I've been so worried! Look at you! You look like you were in a war!"

Soryu sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't want to meet Suzumi's eyes, knowing the truth would admit she was nearly right. It hadn't been pretty in Kyoto and the group of rivals the others had run into in Shiga had been fierce. The problem in Shiga was eliminated with the help of brother groups they had in the city, but Kyoto was like turning over a boulder and finding a whole new infestation of slugs. Caught up in his memories, Soryu was surprised when Suzumi became assertive and pulled him back into a sitting position and started taking off his suit jacket.

"What-"

"I asked Haruka for a first aid kit a few days ago. I need to fix you before it gets worse." Suzumi's eyes were down and she walked out of the room, disappearing behind her door for a moment, only to return in the blink of an eye with a medical kit in hand. "What hurts?"

Too surprised to answer, he couldn't help but to gape at her as she kneeled at the coffee table and began unpacking the kit. When she finally looked up, the piercing glare she sent his way made him shiver. It was a look on par with any hardened mobster. Her eyes zeroed in on his side and she gasped.

"You're side! It's still bleeding?"

Soryu looked down and sure enough, the left side of his shirt was dark crimson and shiny wet. He hadn't realized the injury was bleeding, only that it had been throbbing the last few hours. He hissed, the realization sending any muted pain through his nerves. It had seemed like a stray bullet, but perhaps it had grazed a little deeper?

Slowly as to not upset his wound any further, Soryu peeled off his shirt and tossed it in a bloody heap on the table. He internally smirked at the lack of reaction from Suzumi; the sight of a fleshy wound and copious amounts of blood did little to deter her from starting the cleaning of the hole. She was already stronger than when he'd left her days ago, and even more so than the first time he'd talked to her in this room. She was an excellent asset and his instinct that she was made of harder things than spun glass were correct.

As she gently wiped at the blood on his skin, the pile of soiled linen grew, adding to Soryu's already ruined shirt and the discarded sterile packaging. When Suzumi cleaned his skin enough to assess the wound itself, she sucked in a breath and froze.

"What is it?" Soryu asked above her, frowning.

"Um. It's kind of still bleeding. But I think it's because there's a bullet in there. Just a small trickle of blood, but at this rate, you'll bleed out. You should go to the hospital."

Soryu shook his head. "I can't begin to count the reasons why I can't go to a hospital with a bullet wound. Do you think you can take it out?"

Flabbergasted at the suggestion, Suzumi paled. "I would probably kill you. I mean, I could try but… I didn't study medicine or anything about the human body." She paused, biting her lip. "What about Luke? The doctor you called for me when I came here?"

Soryu flinched as he reached for his jacket, pain shooting through his side. Suzumi paled further as a dribble of blood left the wound and she scrambled to stop the flow with a wad of bandages. "Just ask me to get things for you, Soryu!" she chided, keeping a firm pressure on his side as she watching him dial his cell phone. Standing, Suzumi went to the kitchen to get a bottle of water for Soryu and to look for pain medicine.

His conversation was brief, his face barely changing from the stoic mask he put on to hide the pain he was obviously in. When he finished, he sighed and watched her walk back into the living room and set down the bottle. "Luke can come, but not until late morning. He's flying back from Dubai currently. He's sending someone else, another doctor he trusts but that won't be for a while. His suggestion was for you to try in the meantime."

"Is he insane? Don't answer that. He called me Sexy Bones, so of course he is." Suzumi rubbed at her temple, then shook her head. "Is this something you _want _me to do? Do you trust me with digging out a bullet? With your life?" Her eyes searched his, surprised when he didn't break contact and stared back at her.

"Suzumi, I wouldn't have let you get this far in cleaning the wound if I didn't trust you. I've taken bullets out of my men before, I can guide you. I trust that you can do it. There are few I would trust with this."

Soryu watched a plethora of emotions cast across Suzumi's face in quick succession, waiting for her to decide. When he saw steeled determination, he smirked and casually changed out the bandage he was holding on his side. "Wipe down the dining room table with antiseptic, bring over everything you need, and I'll come over."

Suzumi nodded, "I'm going to need more than what's in this kit, I think."

"Call Haruka. She'll get whatever you need." Soryu tossed her his cell phone with his free hand and watched as she immediately searched for the girl's name and dialed the call.

"Haruka? It's Suzumi. I need some help…"

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**A/N:** _Thank you for reading! Please leave me reviews so I know people are reading and wish for me to keep posting! I'm having fun writing it for myself, but considering the lack of KBTBB fic out there, sharing is caring! Until next time!_

_Hint for next time: A brief crossover, miscommunication, and a close call._


	11. Nursemaid

**Author's Note:** _Thanks to those who review constantly and those who review thoughtfully, this chapter is for you. I'm on a big streak with the story and I hope it doesn't die out any time soon. _

**Disclaimer:**_ I only own Suzumi, Haruka, and the Osiris Brethren. Voltage owns the rest._

* * *

_...She Prescribed pills_  
_To offset the shakes_  
_To offset the pills_  
_You know you should take_  
_It a day at a time_

**Nails For Breakfast, Tacks For Snacks **\- Panic! At the Disco

**Eleven.**

"You do realize that Eisuke will know about this? I can't keep anything from him." Haruka helped Suzumi scrub down the dining room table, having brought the medical supplies the woman had requested.

"Eisuke knows how to keep his mouth shut. It's Baba and Ota who don't have muzzles. You're working now anyway, so it hardly matters. You're doing your job by helping a penthouse guest," Soryu said from his seat on the sofa. The two women glanced his way and began setting up the medical supplies in an easy to grab set up for Suzumi to use quicker. Soryu, while sitting as though nothing was wrong, was starting to look paler than usual.

Haruka pushed Suzumi to the kitchen. "Go wash your hands and arms, use this." She handed her a hospital grade soap and hand sanitizer. "Soryu, come here and I'll help you onto the table. She's about ready for you."

Soryu frowned. "I can get up fine. Are you staying to help her? Aren't you needed elsewhere in the hotel with the other maids?"

"I am, but…"

"Don't worry. I'll be guiding her and my cell with be nearby. Expect a call if something goes wrong, though we should be fine. _If _something does happen, immediately call Eisuke, then Kishi." Seeing Haruka wring her hands in worry, Soryu smirked. "Don't you trust Suzumi? I trust her."

Eyes wide, Haruka took in his words. She laughed softly before bowing. "Of course. Everything is set up, so I'll let you both to it then. I hate to say it, but I look forward to a call. Bad or good." Casting one last glance his way, Haruka left the suite with a quiet snap of the door. At the same time, Suzumi came back from the kitchen, looking nervous.

"Hop up, Soryu. I don't want to waste any more time."

Nodding, Soryu careful sat on the table before adjusting himself to lay fully along its length. The movement, however brief, had another dribble of blood exiting the wound. Standing next to the table, Suzumi looked down at the man she was performing an impromptu surgery on and grimaced. Her confidence was nowhere near Soryu's in her ability to pull this off, but she was certainly determined to try.

"First, relax. If you're too stiff or nervous, you're more likely to mess up."

"Okay…"

"The first part here is going to be the worst. You need to stick your finger in and find the bullet."

"What?!"

"It's less damaging than digging around blindly with metal tools and you'll know immediately where it is and how far you need to go then," Soryu explained patiently.

Letting out a breath, Suzumi did as she was told and slowly inserted her finger. "Let me know if I'm making it hurt or if something feels wrong. I don't want you to die because I poked you with my finger."

Soryu nodded. "It hurts but not anything beyond what it was before. Unfortunately, pain medicine would thin the blood further and cause more bleeding." He felt her shudder slightly and had to keep in his chuckle. It would harm him more than the humor was worth.

"Oh!" Suzumi gasped and bit her lip. "I think I found it."

He could feel her finger brush against the bullet, which in turn moved it against his muscle and nerves. She was exactly right and it caused him to hiss in pain. "That was indeed the bullet. Grab the forceps."

"Which one? Haruka gave me four different kinds."

"Nothing pointed. If there's one that's slightly angled, that would be best."

Suzumi stared down at Soryu's torso, splashed in red and bared completely to her. It was a frightening thought that a man's life could very well be in her hands. As she wiped off her fingers from the blood, she turned her gaze away and looked over the tools Haruka had provided her. Indeed, there was an angled pair of forceps with blunt tips and she gingerly picked up the tool.

"Now what?"

"Gently go back in. When you get to the bullet, carefully try to grip it with the forceps. Don't tug too hard in case you grab tissue. Feel for the slight shift that indicates it's moving toward you."

"So no pressure." Suzumi let out a breath. "Let me know if something doesn't feel right."

Twenty six minutes later, Suzumi threw a blood-covered bullet and surgery tool into the metal bowl set off to the side and shakily sat in the cast aside chair next to the table. "It's out, Soryu."

"Good job, Suzumi." Soryu smiled and reached out to pat her head. "Put some pressure on it for a bit, then tape me up so I can stand."

Suzumi followed his orders once more, grateful to be cleaning the wound once more instead of digging around inside of him. Holding the bandage against him, she listened to the even breathing coming from the man and felt calmer than she had in days. Unfortunately, it was short lived when the suite door opened and Haruka walked in was an unfamiliar man.

"Soryu? This man says he was sent by Luke?"

The man, standing much taller than Haruka who kept him from coming too far into the room, bowed after shutting the suit door. "Luke Foster called me and asked to fill in for him regarding a bullet wound. My name is Kujo."

Suzumi frowned, looking to Soryu. She didn't know many people in this new world of shadows or the Tres Spades and this new character left her feeling clueless. However, she saw a spark of recognition in Soryu's eyes before he nodded.

"Yes. You can come in. Suzumi, he can finish anything else I need. He's an underground doctor." Nodding Suzumi stepped away from the table and allowed Kujo to replace her vacated spot.

Noting the bloody bullet, Kujo sanitized his hands and looked down at Soryu. "Looks like the bullet has been removed?"

Soryu nodded. "Suzumi helped. The bleeding was getting excessive."

Kujo pulled back the bandage that she'd left and nodded, looking satisfied. "She did well. Little tissue damage from removal and bleeding has reduced to almost nothing. I'll clean you up, stitch the wound, and replenish your blood."

"Suzumi, come get cleaned up." Haruka laid a hand on the woman's arm and guided her away from the table. "You're covered in blood. Let's run the bath."

/*\

When Suzumi stepped out of the bath that Haruka had run for her, she saw that the woman had cleaned up most of the mess from the night and was just throwing a pair of disposable gloves in a large, fully stuffed trash bag before tying it shut.

"I could have cleaned up," she said, frowning.

Haruka shook her head and smiled. "I get paid to do this. Plus I know how to get rid of it without anyone finding it and getting suspicious. Kujo is finishing up with Soryu's blood transfusion right now if you want to check in on him. Soryu was asking for you." Picking up the bag, the maid left the room, leaving Suzumi alone in the living room.

"Miss? Mr Oh is asking for you. He heard you talking to the maid." Kujo poked his head around the corner, gesturing for her to follow. Obeying, she followed the doctor into the makeshift surgery and saw the set up pumping blood and medicine into Soryu's system.

"I've given him a bit of blood, but not everything that was needed. His body will replace the rest, he's young and healthy so it should be sooner than later. I'm going to leave some medications and I'll go over them before I leave with you. I'm assuming you'll be in charge of his care?"

"Uh, well…"

"Yes, Suzumi will be taking care of me." Soryu answered from his position, watching her reaction. She didn't disappoint with her wide eyes and baffled expression. When Kujo turned to take the medications from his bag, she narrowed her eyes at Soryu, who kept his face neutral.

"About my fees…"

"Whatever it is, it will be taken care of."

"Good. Today's visit, plus the supplies is about two hundred thousand."

Suzumi blanched. "Dollars?!"

Kujo didn't react, just kept writing on his notepad instructions for her. "Certainly not goats or wheels of cheese. Of course dollars."

Soryu didn't seem surprised either, just nodded. "Give us your information and I'll have it given to you before lunch. Suzumi."

Snapping her head in his direction, she nodded and responded, "Yeah?"

"Thank you. Kujo says you doing that helped."

"It's true. The bleeding was becoming severe and the would would have tried to start healing around the bullet, given the timeline I was provided." Kujo confirmed, dismantling the hospital gear surrounding Soryu. When he was finished, he bagged up any left of used medical equipment. "I'll dispose of this bio waste. Don't hesitate to call me again if needed. I'm more than happy to help when Luke is unavailable. Just ask for Taiga Kujo." He motioned for her to follow him to the door with his finger and began making his way towards the exit of the suite.

"I just administered a high dose of morphine so any moment, he'll be painless but he will also be a little mellow and sleepy. If he's comfortable on the table, leave him. But I'd recommend putting him in bed. Here's my direction for the medicines I'm leaving, please make sure he takes most of them over the next several days. Not sure what kind of work he does and I don't want to know, but my strong recommendation is that he not. He needs to let the wound heal before he runs around."

"Was it that bad?" Suzumi frowned, looking towards the dining room where she could see Soryu's legs and feet on the table.

Kujo shook his head. "Not necessarily but I would say he needs to let his body recover the blood it's missing and for the wound to internally stitch before he rips himself open again or faints." He took out a blank card and pen, scribbling a phone number in blue ink before handing her the card. "In case Luke is too busy to find me. I'm fairly local. Try not to lose or misplace this." With one final bow, the doctor left, leaving Suzumi to head back into the makeshift hospital room.

"Soryu?" she murmured, walking up to the upper half of his body. The man opened his eyes slowly, looking up. "Do you want to go to your bed?"

Sighing, Soryu seemed to debate the pros and cons of moving. Finally, he nodded, reaching a hand up for her to pull him up. Wincing when he sucked in a breath through his teeth, she cried out an apology before draping him across her shoulders and starting the slow trek to his bedroom across the suite. When she was able to get him laying on the bed as gently as she could, she scurried out of the room to bring with her the medicines and water, along with extra bandages and antiseptic.

Soryu watched her fret around him, trying to make him as comfortable as possible and make sure he had everything he needed. He smiled as she muttered to herself, amused at how serious she was taking the situation. "Calm down. It's not the worst I've had. I just need a good sleep, I haven't slept since the night before I saw you last."

"What? That's not healthy!" Suzumi chastised the mafia boss, frowning. "Have you eaten? Do you want food? Can you eat?!"

"I know. No, no, and yes. Relax." When she continued to bite her lip and shuffle the bottles on the nightstand for the third time, Soryu reached out to grab her hand, halting her movement. "Relax," he said again, firmer. It took her a moment, her body stiffening still in reaction to being touched, but after a heartbeat the tension in her seemed to fade. Giving her hand a squeeze, he looked up and grinned at Suzumi. "What's the first instruction the doctor gave you that you'll have to do?"

Suzumi pulled her hands away and dragged out the paper from her pocket and scanned it. "Once you feel like the morphine is wearing off, I give you a yellow pill with a little bit of food."

"Okay. Until then, go to bed. It's nearly six and the sun is coming up. I'll survive until you get some rest."

"No!" Shaking her head, she bluntly refused. Disappearing for a moment, only to reappear with a dining room chair, Suzumi dragged it to sit beside Soryu's bed and dropped herself into to roughly. "This is my fault and I will sit here until you're sleeping. Then I'll consider it."

"You're a lot more stubborn that I thought you'd be," Soryu said wryly. Closing his eyes, he murmured, "Thank you for your hard work, Suzumi." All at once, it was as if the will to fight her was sucked out of him and the last few days were finally crashing down on Soryu. Despite his urge to err on the side of caution when it came to safety in what was his very dangerous life, he found falling asleep as easy as letting out a deep breath and gently closing his eyes.

When Luke, Haruka, and Eisuke came to check in on the situation just after lunch, all three were flabbergasted at the sight that greeted them. Soryu with his bedroom door open, lying asleep and undisturbed by the noise the trio was making coming in. Usually the man woke with any noise. And Suzumi, leaning over the bed, knees on the ground as though she'd fallen asleep mid prayer, holding onto Soryu's hand, and head resting on his forearm.

Eisuke's cool mask was completely shattered, a look of complete shock painted on. Mouth open and eye twitching, he was at a loss of words for the sight in front of him. Haruka smirked, satisfied. She knew Suzumi would take the care of Soryu seriously. Luke, standing at the foot of the bed, assessed the situation.

"Are you sure this is the same girl from twelve weeks ago?"

Both Haruka and Eisuke nodded.

"Good for you, Sexy Bones. Should we wake them?"

"At least wake the woman up. She's looking worse for wear and she'll need to attend to Soryu," Eisuke suggested, looking at his girlfriend.

Haruka frowned. "I think I should wake her just so she can go to her own bed. Isn't that why Luke is here?"

"I suppose."

"Seeing as Soryu is still alive, it looks like Taiga took good care of him and got the bullet out successfully," Luke mused, looking through the medicines on the nightstand.

"Nng, Suzumi took the bullet out." A groggy, labored voice rose from the bed and all three turned to look at Soryu, who was rubbing his eyes with his free hand. "You're all too loud." Yawning, he tried to sit up but was painfully reminded of the hole in his side.

"Relax. Let's get Suzumi detached, some meds in you, then we can get you up." Luke looked to Haruka and indicated that she help him pry sleeping woman from Soryu's arm.

"Don't bother. Just put her in this bed. She'll just come back in here. I already tried twice to get her into her own room since that Kujo left."

Soryu looked down at the mass of curls on the edge of his bed and squeezed her hand with his before wiggling it out from her grasp gently. Somehow, he managed to keep her from waking, and he flexed his arm to get back the feeling he'd lost in it hours before. Looking around, he saw the various degrees of surprise on the three other faces in the room.

"What? If you could actually act like a doctor and give me some pain medication, Luke, it would be appreciated. The morphine wore off an hour ago."

While Luke prepared Soryu's pills, Haruka had a begrudging Eisuke carry the still sleeping Suzumi to the other side of the large bed. Making sure he didn't throw her down, Haruka guided him and shooed him away to settle the woman in with the blankets and pillows. Behind her, Eisuke _tsked _and rolled his eyes.

"Why didn't you wake Suzumi? I thought she was your nursemaid?" Eisuke asked, frowning as Soryu took his pills.

"It was fine. What kind of man am I if I can't handle a little pain?" Soryu muttered. Betraying to stoic facade, Soryu grunted in pain when Luke sat him up in the bed and piled more pillows behind him to prop him up.

Luke handed him an apple that had been left on the nightstand and motioned for him to eat. "From a medical professional's standpoint, you're in fairly good condition. However, the more strict you follow the guidelines that Taiga gave you and that I agree with, you will heal faster and be back on the streets, so to speak."

"And the timeline?"

Luke seemed to ponder for a moment. "Depending on how you heal, of course, perhaps a week. An average person would be two weeks. Knowing you, you'll want to be back today or tomorrow. Which I forbid. At least give yourself five days."

Soryu frowned. "I can't afford that. The enemy is into some dark things and trying to frame the Ice Dragons."

"You can't afford to bleed out in front of your men, either," Eisuke pointed out, arms crossed. "You won't do the Ice Dragons any good dead. You just became their leader recently."

Soryu thought about his options, frowning at what he wanted and what he needed refusing to line up. As usual, Eisuke was right, even if he was pointing out the very obvious, something that he hadn't really needed to hear. Sighing, he admitted defeat.

"I can work from here and use Inui and Samejima. I can't let the men know what happened."

Sitting in Suzumi's abandoned chair, Eisuke's frown became more pronounced. Arms crossed and looking like he wouldn't take no for an answer, Eisuke murmured, "You need to tell me what's happening and just what your songbird has gotten you tied up in."

* * *

**A/N:** _Reviews are lovely, confidence boosting things. And I post quicker when I see more of them. Thank you for reading! :)_


	12. Two Forward, Three Back

**Author's Note:** _Good evening! I'm posting this because today (February 17) is Soryu's birthday! So here's a gift for all of you! Thank you for all the kind reviews last chapter and welcome to new readers. _

_Please continue to show me your support with your reviews so I know what you all like best and what you wish would happen. I do want to consider those reading when I write some parts, so let me know your theories, etc. _

**Disclaimer**: _I own characters like Suzumi, Haruka, and the Soumas, but everyone else is owned by Voltage._

* * *

_Your eyes, they shine so bright_  
_I wanna save that light_  
_I can't escape this now_  
_Unless you show me how_

**Demons **\- Imagine Dragons

**Twelve**.

Soryu was sitting on the couch of the suite, grimacing as both Inui and Samejima bowed deeply to a flustered Suzumi. The woman was waving her hands, trying to get the two men to stand and the two kept spewing their gratitude at her.

"Please stop! Of course I helped Soryu. Why wouldn't I? I'm glad I didn't hurt him more! You can stop bowing!"

"You're like a princess, Suzumi! Kind, humble, and good with your hands. You're like the Ice Dragon's very own princess, just for us." Inui stood and took one of her hands in his, eyes wet with emotion.

"Oh boy," Suzumi, muttered.

"Enough, I called you two here for an actual reason." Soryu took command of the situation, voice raising above Inui's excited tone. Shifting in his seat, Soryu looked to Samejima. "What was the final outcome from our attack two days ago?"

The break caused by the irritated Soryu gave Suzumi the chance to escape Inui and she shuffled over the sit on the opposite side of the couch from the mafia boss. She could feel his eyes on hers as she let out a breath of relief. Ignoring his gaze, she picked up her mug of tea and sipped at it carefully, the liquid still hot despite the brief interlude of Inui and Samejima directing themselves at her first.

Samejima pulled papers from a file he had tucked aside and cleared his throat. "We didn't lose anyone. While you were the worst injury, the others are unaware. A few other wounds, plenty of bruises and blood. We counted a loss of twenty on their side, but that was a quick count before the cops showed up. No signs of Taichi Souma or his son. Our contact in the force in Shiga had been hearing Ice Dragon rumors but was squashing them. With this incident, he can confirm that it had been the Brethren behind the pop up human auctions. In Kyoto, we are at a disadvantage since that's their home territory. Their main base of operation in human trafficking is also there, so we couldn't extinguish it completely. It's much larger than anticipated there, as it has roots that go back to almost a year."

"A year?!" Suzumi hissed. Her face looked angry, but the pallor of her skin turned nearly green. She wasn't sure if she wanted to punch something or throw up, but instead she swallowed thickly and clenched her fists, looking down at her lap. Next to her, Soryu looked equally angry.

"And this is why the Ice Dragons aren't scum. I want us to protect people, not exploit them. This is unacceptable." He made to stand, but the pain that shot through his side kept him in his seat, hissing in pain.

Immediately, Suzumi switched from appalled to stern caregiver and chastised him for trying to stand so suddenly. "Stay seated. I'll have to change your bandages if you pull at the wound."

Soryu had the grace to look slightly abashed, a faint touch of pink hinting at his cheeks. The color went unnoticed by his two subordinates, but the interaction between the two did not. Samejima smiled, amused.

"Please continue to take good care of our leader, Suzumi. That's all I have to report right now. I have to go through what possible assets and other intelligence was gathered since clean up last night."

Inui piped up, "I'm going back to Shiga to do more cleanup. Would you like me to visit Kyoto as well?"

Soryu pondered the suggestion, eyes closed in thought. "If you have time, do some recon. Find out what's happening after the skirmish, what people are saying, et cetera. The ordeal is much too large for a single man clean up, and when you need more than one or two, that's a job for a whole crew."

Samejima bowed, ready to leave, waiting for Inui to do the same. Shock painted across his face as he and Soryu watched the young man reached out for Suzumi's hand once more.

"Goodbye, Princess! Please keep taking care of our leader!"

Face red, Suzumi sat in complete silence, stiff like a marble statue until the two men left the suite, leaving she and Soryu alone. "What…"

Soryu sighed, rubbing the back of his neck his embarrassment. "Sorry. Are you not used to him yet?"

"Kind of. But why does he want to call me a princess?" Eyes wide, Suzumi held her hands close to her chest and watched Soryu struggle to find an answer for her.

"I couldn't tell you, honestly. I can make him stop if you'd like. He'll be upset but he has to learn to take it down a notch."

Suzumi shrugged. "I don't have the heart to tell him no. He means well, I suppose. I just don't want it to be a thing around Baba and Ota."

"Agreed," Soryu nodded. "I'll take care of it."

After that, lunch was brought up by a clerk, someone other than Haruka. Eating in a compatible silence, Suzumi could feel Soryu's eyes occasionally on her. Choosing to ignore him, she focused her eyes between her food and looking out the large windows. The day was overcast and the skies looked like they would burst with rain at any moment.

"You're spending more time out of the suite lately," Soryu commented casually.

Suzumi glanced at him and saw that he'd pushed his food to the side. He was ready to talk about whatever had been running through his mind, it seemed. With a sigh, she sat her spoon down and pushed her own dish away, leaning on the table.

"Do you not want me to?"

Soryu shook his head. "No, I don't have a problem with it so long as someone is with you. Like I've always said, just have someone else with you. However, it's been brought to my attention that, if something happened to me, you couldn't defend yourself. The others in the penthouse could hide you away and have trouble taken care of, but they have lives that don't involve you and if they aren't there in a specific moment, where does that leave you?"

Suzumi drew a blank, her mind unsure of where he was going with his line of conversation. She really only stayed in the hotel and then went to the Ice Dragon's office, and where else would she want to go? She wasn't allowed to contact family or friends and, other than her lucky gains now totaling an unsettling $2756 and a nice watch courtesy of Baba and Ota which she refused to touch, she had nothing but clothes to her name. She thought it was pretty apparent that Soryu spent time in the Tres Spades and that meant it was unofficially Ice Dragon territory, so who would cross into enemy land? And into a hotel owned by the terrifyingly manipulative Eisuke Ichinomiya, who had more money than should be allowed? Perish the thought.

"What do you mean?" she asked finally, seeing a frown grow on Soryu's face.

"We need to teach you some self defense," he said bluntly.

"Who is _we _exactly? You run the risk of bleeding every time you sneeze."

Soryu grimaced at the truth. "Ideally, me. However, Baba is a more than acceptable planned on tonight. I would have also recommended Samejima, but I have him doing something important for the next few days."

Suzumi frowned and instinctively drew in on herself. "I don't know…"

"You don't really have a choice," Soryu said, blunt. Taking in her hunched shoulders and the way she seemed to make her body smaller on the couch, he knew exactly what her argument against the lessons were. But given how much the rivalry between the two gangs had escalated and moved into more physical altercations, even a short train ride to the office could mean finding her limp body on the stairs of the hotel front. Or not at all. The last thing he wanted was for something to happen to her. He wanted to keep her safe and if she had to learn how to throw Baba over her shoulder, so be it.

"It's only Baba. I'm not asking you to work with a stranger."

"I know," she whispered.

Suddenly, a loud ringing filled the room, startling the two. Flinching, Suzumi looked down to the coffee table and reached out for the small egg shaped timer making the noise. Pushing the button to quiet it, she sighed and looked over at Soryu.

"Time to change your bandages for real. I have to apply the ointment Luke left. Take off your shirt."

Suzumi stood and left to get the ointment and bandages from his bathroom, her confidence suddenly returning. She left the room, head held high and shoulders straight, a small smile on her face. Unsure of what it was exactly, Soryu raised a brow at her retreating form. He'd sensed something different in her tone and, while it didn't worry him, he was surprised to hear it from her. If hadn't known better, he would have thought she was teasing him.

With a sigh, Soryu stood slowly, careful to not agitate his wound. Unbuttoning his shirt as he walked, he went to meet her in his bedroom so she could apply the topical treatment easier as he laid on his side. When he entered the room, she was already setting herself up a small workstation of ointment, bandages, and sanitized cotton to clean the area. Luke had given her a task and she'd set to it with serious dedication. Given his house arrest for a week minimum and that she never went anywhere else, Suzumi was able to keep him on a strict regimen of prescriptions, clean bandages, and see that he didn't stress the wound any more than necessary. While annoying that leaving the hotel meant a possibility of injuring himself beyond healing capacity, he had to admit that her ministrations kept him free of infections and the wound was healing much quicker than any other he'd left to his own haphazard attempts at first aid in the past.

Finished with her own preparations, Suzumi turned to see Soryu folding his shirt and laying it on the edge of the bed. Beckoning him over with her head, she started tugging at the bandages and unraveled them from his torso. When his entire chest and stomach were bare, she inspected the area as taught, looking for hints of infection or other internal issues that Luke had shown her in one of his books. Giving the area nearby a test poke, she fought a grin at his flinch. _Well, he isn't numb_, she thought to herself.

"Lay down, please."

Obeying without a word, Soryu laid on his side and watched as she started cleaning the area. She was very methodical, working her way in before focusing on the wound itself. A frown seemed to stay on her face the entire time, her eyes rarely venturing from the wound or her makeshift pile of supplies.

"What's this? Is Suzumi taking advantage of a half naked Soryu? I never thought I'd see the day!"

Suzumi flinched in surprise, accidentally jabbing Soryu with her hand directly on the wound. The mob boss cursed, sitting up straight and knocking into Suzumi who had been leaning over him. Sent sprawling from the momentum, Suzumi found herself on the ground, eyes wide and staring up at the bedroom ceiling.

"Suzumi?"

"Damnit. Suzumi, are you okay?"

"Soryu, you're bleeding!"

"Baba, you're lucky I can't reach my gun. What makes you think you can come into my rooms without my permission? How many times do I have to say it before you learn?"

In her line of sight, Baba appeared, frowning. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to frighten you." He reached a hand out to pull her up, but his hand was slapped away.

"No!"

Scrambling to her feet, Suzumi made to get as far from the two men as she could in the bedroom. Body shaking, Suzumi looked down at the ground and tried to control her now erratic breathing. Keeping her back to the wall, she said,

"I'm sorry. I just… I need a minute."

An awkward silence permeated the room, the only sounds were repetitive deep breaths that Suzumi took. Soryu laid back down on the bed and grabbed a wad of bandages to staunch the trickle of blood that came from the sudden aggravation of his wound. Baba covered his mouth with his hand, eyes cast downward in guilt.

"I can finish up, Soryu," Baba said quietly, turning to grab more bandages.

"No!" Suzumi shouted again. "I'll finish it. Get me more bandages, I need to fix the bleeding."

"Suzumi, maybe he should…" Soryu's eyes watched her as she crossed the room to stand back over him. It was very minute, but he could see her still shaking from the sudden encounter and he worried about her mindset.

"I'm fine. Or do you not trust me?" Eyes cast down as she swatted his hand away and tossed the ruined bandages aside, there was a steeled edge to her words.

A moment passed before Soryu answered. "Suzumi, I trust you with my life." His voice was quiet, but firm.

She nodded, eyes still down. "Then let me do this."

Next to her, Baba sat the bandages down and retreated to the doorway, watching the two as she cleaned his wound. When she took a step back, Soryu automatically sat up carefully and stood. Arms raised, the woman moved with a practised ease around his body, wrapping his torso tight. Baba was amazed at the synchronicity the two gave off as she worked and filed it away to ask Soryu later, once he was fully healed.

"Done. I'm going to go to my room now," Suzumi said, quickly retreating the bedroom, being careful to bypass touching Baba on her way out the door. Stopping, just outside the doorway, she turned. "Don't forget to take your pills in half an hour."

When both men heard her door shut with a click, tension seemed to melt from their frames. Soryu rubbed the back of his neck and Baba took off his hat and played with the edge of his hat nervously. There was an unspoken question in the room and Soryu sighed at the obvious curiosity radiating from the thief.

"It's still slow going with her healing, then?"

" …This is the first time something like this has happened."

"I'm assuming any lesson plans for tonight have been canceled, then."

"Yeah," Soryu let out another sigh and threw on his shirt. "Is Luke still hanging out in the lounge?"

Baba nodded, looking confused. "He was there an hour or two ago. I'm assuming he still is, but I just got back from an errand."

Grabbing his jacket, Soryu left the room and headed for the door to the hall. Following, Baba matched his pace as they went to the lounge where they found Luke and Eisuke talking about a surgery and Kishi napping on a couch near the window.

"Luke?" Soryu called out. The two men stopped talking and looked his way. Luke, a curious look on his face and Eisuke annoyed until his saw the expressions on Soryu and Baba's faces.

"Soryu?"

"Can we talk a moment?"

/*\

The first time that Suzumi had met Luke Foster, it was during Soryu's short absence from their suite. Several days in, Eisuke had called the doctor in and asked him to give the woman a physical and mental analysis. The hotel owner knew the basics of her situation from Soryu and his brief encounters with her after being sold, but wanted to make sure she wasn't driven crazy or in danger of dying due to poor health on his property.

While unhappy with being forced to let both men in Soryu's suite, Suzumi had complied. They were friends of her _owner_ and she didn't want to make any of them mad. When Eisuke, who she once thought-hoped-to be tsundere but in reality was just cutthroat, told her why he and the new man were present, she had mixed emotions. A stranger examining her sent her body shaking but she knew after four months of abuse, she needed to be looked over. So she followed the blonde man, who introduced himself as Luke Foster, who said they would leave Eisuke in the living room while he did a routine examination in the next room.

Luke made copious amounts of notes, his eyes far off and unfocused. While nervous, she was able to recognize his complete lack of any interest in her except the medical results that came from examining her. Other than murmuring that she had lovely bone structure, he was completely detached and professional. After he made pages of notes, he allowed her to dress and asked her to meet him in the living room where he and Eisuke sat, waiting. From there, Eisuke began to once more put in his two cents.

"You're in my hotel and I want to make sure you don't pose as a liability to my business, my name, guests, or the auction managers. I will be here during Luke's interview with you so that I am aware. I won't comment, I'm not here for entertainment. Luke's job is to be a doctor and he can help with whatever you need. You may act as if I am not even here, to be honest. What you say in this room will not leave it unless you wish it to."

Luke nodded. "Eisuke keeps his word, he is a man you can trust. And of course, I am a doctor who will divulge nothing."

Luke asked Suzumi questions and let her speak for nearly two hours before she said she'd run out of things to say. She had been honest in her answers, the things he asked typical and had been expected. Short and to the point, she didn't want to go into detail, but she wanted them to know. Because she didn't want Soryu to know. Luke made an occasional note in his book, his attention never really leaving her. Several times in her peripheral, she could see Eisuke shift in his seat or stand and pace. His face, usually calm or crossed with slight irritation, would flip between his cool mask and a break of icy rage.

When the interview was over, Luke looked over his notes. "Thank you for being cooperative, Suzumi. This helped me a lot. I'm going to get several medicines for you, as well as vitamins and give you some recommendations in terms of lifestyle so that you can be healthy again. It may take me some time to get them, though."

"Whatever you need, write it down and I'll have Kenzaki fetch it," Eisuke said, standing by the window, watching them both.

"Hm, okay. Vitamins, sleep medication, some bruise paste, calcium supplements for your lovely bones, and…" Luke trailed off, writing down his list in full before handing the sheet to the businessman.

Eisuke looked over the list and nodded. "I'll call for him now. I have a meeting to go to." Barely bothering to glance back, he left the suite with a slam of the door, leaving the woman and doctor alone.

"Eisuke's changed since I last saw him. I'm happy to see he's taking your health seriously, though." Luke began writing down instructions for Suzumi for the promised lifestyle improvements. "Though, when he said Soryu was keeping a half starved woman up here, I didn't expect it to be so close to the truth." His blue eyes met hers.

"Yes, well…"

"Indeed. You need to put on more weight. You're at a completely unhealthy weight. Your organs will shut down if you continue to live this way. Make sure to eat every meal and snack if you are up to it. Small amounts so you don't get sick. Take the vitamins daily, use the lotions and pastes I'm sending for, they'll help with the lingering bruises and your skin. I'm worried about your wrist."

Suzumi looked down at her left wrist, wrapped in a bandage still from Soryu's attempt at first aid. "What about it?"

"How many times was it injured? Was it ever broken?"

She nodded. "It was broken just the once, right after I was brought to their home. But I honestly don't think it ever got the chance to heal. He was always grabbing me by the wrist or something else that hurt. It hurts still."

"I may want to do an X-ray. I'll bring a machine tomorrow to check. Let's rewrap it with a proper pressure now and give you some pain medication I have in my bag. Hopefully it's something a brace can fix. Though I can't promise no lingering pain or sensitivity."

"Thank you," Suzumi whispered, looking down at her wrist as he pulled off the used wrappings and massaged the area. When she winced, he nodded to himself and grabbed fresh bandages.

/*\

Luke agreed to see to Suzumi again, barely batting an eyelash. As Soryu lead the doctor away to his suite, Eisuke shook his head. He expected a step backward in the woman's behavior a while ago, so this hardly surprised him. Instead of staying irritated at the interruption, he pulled out the penthouse pager and called for Haruka.

"Be here in five minutes."

"What? That's completely insane Eisu-" He hung up and waited. His favorite past time of calling her up just to make him coffee would distract him until Luke finished his first futile attempt to draw the woman out.

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**A/N:** _Thank you for reading! Tell me your thoughts in reviews, please! I'm a fan of getting those emails in my inbox, especially from regular readers and the brand new ones!_

_Happy birthday, Soryu! ;-)_


	13. A Doctor Visit

_**Author's Note**: Hello! I have another chapter for you! I'm actually writing the next chapter at the same time that I post this. _

_Please enjoy and remember to leave me a nice word in the form of a review!_

_**Disclaimer**: I only own my own characters like Suzumi, Haruka, and the Osiris Brethren. Voltage, Inc owns the rest._

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Rough around the edges, memories and baggage  
You know me  
Never play the safe card, when I go I go hard  
Now you know

**Moments** \- Tove Lo

**Thirteen.**

"So, how's your wound doing?" Luke sipped at the tea Haruka had made for both of them. She'd made tea for the two after making Eisuke's coffee and left in a huff, muttering about how many rooms she had to clean.

"It's fine. Healing perfect." Soryu crossed his arms and glared past his old friend to the closed door of Suzumi.

"I'll examine it this weekend and let you know if I approve you going out of the hotel. By then you'll have crossed ten days. On a different note... Has Suzumi come out of her room yet?"

Soryu shook his head. "No. She ignores any attempt at people talking with her and refuses food. If it wasn't for her sneaking out to use the toilet a few times a day when she thinks I'm not looking, I'd have thought she ran off or died." His voice was mixed with thinly veiled worry and bitterness.

"And the fact that you're stuck with me or Baba helping you with your bandages?" Luke looked over the rim of his cup, eyes narrowed towards the mafia boss. "You sound upset. I wouldn't expect this from you."

"Can't you just go in there and sort it out? You're a doctor, she's already talked with you once, right?" Soryu fought his blush and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I can't invade a space that she has made safe in her mind. Her room is her own. But I can point out that, despite closing herself off to you and the others for the last two days, she's chosen a space you gave her as her own. Psychologically speaking, she's not shutting you out completely. She accepts you as a part of her life, one that is a given. From what you've told me, she won't see Haruka or the other auction managers. Has she reacted to your underlings?"

"I haven't told them. It would demoralize Samejima and Inui can't keep his emotions to himself; he's already taken to giving her a nickname and fawning over her." Soryu rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Please try to talk with her this time? Last time, you just stood outside the door. You can tell her I'm going to the lounge to talk with Eisuke."

Luke sat down his tea and sighed. "I will try my best. I suppose you're leaving now?"

"Yes, Eisuke wants to have another auction soon. Especially since you're in town and agreed to perform services. I can still do the paperwork, I can just ask Baba or have Akira do the footwork."

/*\

"Suzumi, if you wish to talk at me or to me, I'm here alone. Soryu has gone to a meeting and it would be just us."

Suzumi sat in the center of the bed, legs drawn up and arms hugging them close. From the other side of the door, she could hear Luke trying to coax her out. At this point, she was in the middle of day three of hiding away and she wanted to come out. However, every time she reached for the doorknob, flashes of the sensation of being knocked to the ground ran across her being and she would end up retreating back to the bed.

"If you would like to chat, I'll be in the living room. As I said, Soryu will be out for a time with Eisuke down the hall."

She could hear his footsteps retreat back down the short hallway and once more, there was silence surrounding her.

Twenty minutes later and a quick dart into the bathroom first, Suzumi stood behind Luke who was reading one of the magazines Inui had brought her weeks ago for entertainment. He was muttering to himself, seemingly confused at the content.

"I don't understand. The gossip people are overeager for pop star tidbits. These Revance men seem positively boring compared to others."

"Inui doesn't get my tastes. Gossip rags aren't my thing. But apparently they had a ghostwriter for a time, despite calling themselves fully self-sufficient." Suzumi came around and sat across from the doctor, shyly looking at him through her curls.

Luke looked up, surprised. He tossed the magazine on the table and gave her his full attention,blue eyes seemingly able to see right through her. "Suzumi. Thank you for coming out to visit with me. Would you like to chat over lunch?"

She could see how casual he was being, trying not to make her fasting a big deal and she appreciated it. She nodded. "Please. Whatever the special is for today will be fine."

"Let me just call down then. I'll ask for more tea as well."

When the food came, Suzumi was thankful it wasn't Haruka bringing it. Another woman who's nametag read Erika dropped it off and the woman was none too subtle about the jealous glare she gave Suzumi regarding the kind of company she was keeping. Haruka had told her about how the other maids were frothing at the mouth to be able to work with the penthouse men. And then of course catch their eye and hearts. Or was it just wallets? Suzumi let the woman see her roll her eyes and gave a small smile at her huff as she stalked out of the room.

Luke, acting as host, poured their teas and served her quietly. His plate consisted of a small amount of fruit and grain, hardly a meal. Seeing her confused face, he grimaced.

"Food is bothersome. I prefer just vitamins and supplements and I do occasionally need more."

Suzumi blanched. "That's terrible. I can't believe your body hasn't shut down yet. You should eat more." She put a few of the stir fried veggies and rice from her plate on another and put it in front of him. When he frowned, she switched into a bossy tone. "It's a few pieces of vegetables. Eat that too please? You have me worried."

"I could say the same to you, Suzumi. You have people worried and right now, I have more nutrients in me than you do. I'll eat everything in front of me if you eat all of yours and promise to stop skipping meals."

Suzumi lowered her head in shame and nodded. "I wasn't doing it on purpose." Picking up her chopsticks, she began nibbling on the food in front of her.

"We know this. Just say what comes to mind while we eat. We can keep this informal, I don't want to interrogate you." Luke glared at the food in front of him, but speared a strawberry and tossed it in his mouth.

When half the food on her plate was gone, she started to talk. "Soryu accidentally knocked me down the other day. Baba came in, said things that flustered me. I hurt Soryu as I changed his bandages and he sat up in pain. It's my own fault. But it made me think of all the times I'd get tossed to the ground or knocked around. I didn't have the luxury of running away to a different room then and I guess I seized the opportunity."

"It was all a perfectly logical response to the situation given circumstances. No one faults you for it."

"And I hate that. People should be mad at me, I seem so selfish. I was in charge of helping Soryu recover and I abandoned him. I wanted to come out sooner but every time I almost did, I'd lose my courage."

Luke smiled softly. "You may partially get your wish. I know Haruka, the force that she is, is worried and upset you wouldn't see her."

Suzumi shuddered. "Oh boy. What about the others?"

"Well," Luke said, thinking. "Baba feels awful. He feels as though he is responsible. To which I agree. Soryu is very worried. He's paced this suite the entire time. And I know he hates that his only options for changing his bandages are me or Baba."

Suzumi could feel the pit of her stomach drop. Biting her lip, she fought back the prickling pain at the corners of her eyes. Shame welled within her and she turned away from Luke to hide her face.

"Ota, Kishi, and even Eisuke are worried, too. You saw how Eisuke was the first time you and I met. He has a vested interest in you now. I would compare it to a big brother, almost."

"You know, you're making me feel worse," Suzumi grumbled, rubbing at her eyes.

"Yes, I know. It's not wholly my intention but you need to realize the circle you have around you now. You aren't alone anymore. I know you've basically had to leave your past behind, including family and friends, but you have us now. And despite whatever deal you made to walk away when the time comes, I doubt that's what will happen. Haruka was supposed to sign a confidentiality agreement after her period and go back to regular life and yet, a year and a half later, here she is. All the men who belong to this penthouse ragtag group have very few people they can trust and they rarely let go of things they consider theirs."

"You talk like you're not part of that…" Suzumi frowned. She turned back to face him and saw a very faint tinge of color on the doctor's pale cheeks.

Luke frowned. "I'm hardly around, I don't stay in Japan like the others do. However when I visit, I very much would like to continue to see you here. Not just as a patient so I can watch you heal and grow, but I find you a very trustworthy and intelligent woman. You make for good conversation when I'm not face down in a book for an upcoming surgery."

Suzumi let her eyes wander down to their empty plates and cups, mulling over what Luke had told her. His forthcoming honesty had surprised her, especially hearing about the others. She was sure, however, if she were to ask, they'd like deny every iota of the concept. The thought of the sharp-tongued Ota vehemently denying her being anything than a pet bird while looking away in embarrassment made her chuckle. Baba would never hide his feelings, and she knew the second she made her presence known, he would want to hug her and apologize profusely. Kishi, while not spending a lot of time around her due to the animosity between he and Soryu, always seemed to have a quiet eye on her like a guardian watchman. Eisuke would call her trouble but look satisfied that she was present and accounted for once more. The image made her pause, the realization that Luke was shocking right. The Ichinomiya head always made last sure she was taken care of by asking Soryu and was paying for her medicines that Luke had her on. He even updated her wardrobe once since her arrival, replacing clothes that had gotten too small with her healthier weight with replicas in the next size up. He, too was like a watchman, though one with a complex for being right and getting his way. Luke was a surgical doctor first and foremost, yet he was acting like a general practitioner and therapist for her and visited occasionally just for chats. The idea of these men that had surrounded her and complicated life forming these warm attachments to a woman they barely knew made her want to cry again.

"You have a lot of complex looks darting across your face. Anything you care to share?"

Suzumi shook her head, but still spoke. "Just overwhelmed."

"Do you think you'll be okay for now?" Luke smiled gently.

"Yeah. I hope this doesn't happen again. They aren't pleasant feelings." She rubbed at her nose to hide her embarrassment.

"I would be shocked if you didn't have another episode of remembering, Suzumi. Healing takes time. Quite often, years. You are a remarkably strong woman, but it's okay to be weak as well. Just don't shut yourself away."

Suzumi pictured going to Soryu the next time she was overwhelmed and let out a giggle. "I think I would make people very uncomfortable. Just picturing a petrified and embarrassed Soryu listening to me seems ridiculous."

Luke shook his head. "Not ridiculous. Any of us would let you talk. Or even hug you. Though, Eisuke might just let you hug him and not reciprocate." They both laughed at the idea of a bewildered Eisuke standing stone still while being hugged.

"Can… Can I go visit the others? They're in the penthouse lounge talking about another auction, aren't they?"

"They are… How did you know about the auction?"

"I heard Soryu earlier before he left. I have to really been doing anything in my room except sit there. So I can hear conversations if they're not being whispered. I'd like to apologize for my behavior to everyone."

"It wasn't your fault, though."

Suzumi nodded. "I know. I'd still like to."

Luke tilted his head. "You don't have an aversion to the auctions? You were sold there."

She shook her head. "No. I went voluntarily. I don't really care what people do with their obscene amounts of money. If they want to buy art or have you do a lung transplant, it's none of my business." She paused. "I just don't agree with human trafficking. I don't like that." Her eyes gave a far off look for a moment before focusing back in on Luke's face.

"And other than you, a willing participant, the Tres Spades auctions have never dealt in human flesh and never will. It's in bad taste and not at all what I want my auctions to be about."

Suzumi and Luke turned to the door of the suite and saw Eisuke Ichinomiya standing there, arms crossed and a grin lighting his features. Next to him, Soryu stood, hand on the back of his neck avoiding eye contact with Suzumi. Behind them both, Baba and Ota stood, grinning big at the sight of a bewildered Suzumi.

"Uhm," she stuttered, unprepared for the sudden appearance of the headstrong men who had forced themselves in her life.

"Good girl, Sora. Waiting for your master and his friends to come." Ota came around Eisuke and sat next to Suzumi on the couch, petting her head. "You're an obedient sparrow."

"Knock it off, I told you to stop calling me that," she growled, swatting his hands away.

Baba came around next and knelt in front of her, taking his hat off and placing it against his chest. "Suzumi, I'm so sorry. It wasn't my intention to startle you. Can you forgive me?" He took her hand in his and squeezed it softly.

Suzumi sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine. Please don't tease me like that."

Baba smiled and agreed, following Ota's lead and petting her on the head before coming around and sitting next to Luke, who was watching the interactions.

When she looked up, she could see surprise on Soryu's face. She assumed it was because of how easy she was able to handle being around them all again. Standing, she walked over to the mob boss and bowed deeply.

"I'm so sorry for my behavior the last few days. I can't guarantee it won't happen again, but I will try hard to not act like I did this time again. Will you allow me to finish your wound treatment?"

The room was silent, the present auction managers and doctor all looking on at the scene that was a repentant Suzumi and a visibly flustered Soryu. The man sighed and put a hand on her head gently.

"Stand up straight, you don't need to bow. There's nothing to forgive." When Suzumi looked up at him, eyes meeting his, he added, "I fully expect you to continue with my bandages. The others aren't doing it right."

"I'm a doctor, I know what I'm doing," Luke grumbled, glaring.

"I'm doing it as a penance, Sor! You could be grateful," Baba complained.

Suzumi laughed at the banter and the mood in the room relaxed significantly. Unaware, she smiled and sat back down on the couch. Eisuke uncrossed his arms and strode over to the woman. When she looked up, she shivered at the cold glint in his eyes.

"Yes?"

"You owe me." It wasn't a question, nor was there any hesitation in the statement. "You'll be attending the auction and the I.V.C. in three weeks with Soryu. I want to see you in action; you're a quick thinker and I know that dog that's sniffing around for you will be attending."

"Eisuke, I don't think…" Soryu began to speak, but was cut off.

"What do you want from me?" Suzumi frowned at Eisuke.

"It's time I got involved. Those rats that Soryu fought last week have been stalking Odaiba, knowing full well the Ice Dragons are the only gang I welcome here. I want to see that bowling pin purple in the face from rage."

The smile on Eisuke's face was cold and sharp like a knife. None of the other auction managers dared to speak, a shiver running through the room.

"Fine. I'm done hiding."

"Suzumi!" Soryu stepped forward and cut between her and Eisuke. "I don't approve of this. There isn't a plan and we don't know what else the Brethren are up to." His eyes darted down to Suzumi, who stood and put a hand on his arm.

"We have time. Eisuke, you said three weeks?"

"Yes," he nodded, crossing his arms again and smiling wider.

Suzumi nodded back, then looked up to meet Soryu's dark eyes. "We make plans now. I'll try to remember what else I heard, every detail. Some recon might be a good idea when it comes to the Soumas… And we can make a plan to see just how far we can push Taichi before he acts in public."

"What if this dude really does act out in public?" Ota piped in, raising a hand skeptically. "It wouldn't be a good idea for the I.V.C. and those guests on top of hotel guests."

Soryu snorted. "Naturally, I will have Ice Dragons in the crowd doing security."

"That settles that. Let's go back to the lounge and discuss the auctions some more. Before Haruka gets off and gives us a lecture," Baba said cheerfully, standing and rubbing his hands together excitedly. Eisuke nodded his agreement and headed for the door, expecting the others to follow. Even Luke made his way out of the room, asking Eisuke about the terms of his possible surgery on the auction block.

The last to leave the room of the managers, Soryu, looked down at the tiny woman standing next to him with exasperation written on his face. "Why are you insistent on this? I don't like it." Arms crossed and shoulders tense, he looked angry and every inch a dangerous man.

Suzumi frowned but held her ground. She refused to take her eyes from Soryu's and crossed her own arms. "I can't hide forever. I need to be more proactive in our agreement to help you and the Ice Dragons."

"The Ice Dragons' business, at the end of the day, is none of your business."

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_**A/N:** Here's a fun little question for everyone. In the world of KBTBB, who is your favorite character to play? If you're reading this, chances are you may say Soryu, but give me a number two, as well. Let me know in your review for this chapter! Thanks for reading, you're all wonderful!_


	14. Push and Shove

**Author's Note:** _Hello! Thanks to everyone who's read and special thanks to all those who left reviews last chapter! Shout out to _Aerl_ who's been a constant reviewer, _crazykatz411_ who binge read the story, _TheBloodyArrow_ who is another loyal reviewer, _phixxfan100_ who, if I'm not mistake, has been around since the beginning, and all the anonymous guests and others who have reviewed._

_Please continue to support me in this endeavor, I'm enjoying writing it and reading it for myself and I like knowing others are enjoying it too._

_**Disclaimer**: I only own characters like Suzumi, Haruka, and the Osiris Brethren. The rest are owned by Voltage, INC._

* * *

This isn't violence this is just a war in my head,  
I give it time but it never seems to end.  
I feel a fire in the back of my throat,  
So let's get covered in flames and play some games with the smoke

**Smoke **\- Pvris

**Fourteen.**

Suzumi frowned, confused at Soryu's harsh words. None of her business? Her life at this point revolved around the Ice Dragons and she told him as such.

"But I am here because of the Ice Dragons. I am here because of you. I've told you things, I'm trying hard to remember information to help you get rid of an enemy. Is that still nothing? Does that mean it's still none of my business?"

"What the Ice Dragons do at the end of the day, regardless of any information you give us, is still unrelated to what you should know." Soryu sighed and his frown deepened. "You're undermining the work I have put into protecting you. How can I possibly keep you from Taichi if you insist on meeting him head on?"

"What good am I locked up in a gilded cage? This hotel is over the top in lavish decoration and service, it has incredible security, and it has six psychopaths running black market auctions in a subbasement!"

"Stop being dramatic," Soryu barked. But Suzumi continued.

"No! What good am I if I can't mentally mess with that asshole? I am technically a dead woman. I'm being kept in a fancy bird cage and thrown treats in the form of clothes or human contact with people like Samejima. But I want more. I can _do_ _more_ for you! I'm smart, damnit, I'm willing!"

"Enough!" He reached out for her shoulders, but found his hands knocked away.

"No!" She pushed against his chest, a small part of her satisfied when he let out a soft grunt of pain. One palm smacked against him again halfheartedly and he was surprised to see her hands grab at his shirt and fist the material between her fingers. Looking closely, he could see her eyes wet before she bowed her head and hunched her shoulders.

"Suzumi?" Soryu said quietly, unsure. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he could feel her shaking softly.

"Let me help you. Let me do this." It wasn't a plea, it wasn't begging. It was a demand. Her voice was thick and Soryu knew that he had made her cry, but he was surprised at the conviction that came so strong from her. He squeezed his hand on her shoulder gently to calm her, worried when the shaking didn't stop.

He sighed. "Why is this so important?"

She looked up, red eyes meeting his. She didn't try to let go of his shirt, but instead stood up straighter. "I want control over him. I'm not asking for a gun so I can shoot him on sight, I don't know if I could shoot someone like that. I want to show him who I am now, I want him to remember me as anyone but the woman he kicked around before throwing me out and sentenced to a watery grave."

Soryu and Suzumi locked eyes and stared at one another, a battle of wills seemingly ensuing. Suzumi's fists stayed locked on his chest and after a few moments, Soryu let out another sigh and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.

"I'm not saying yes yet. But we need to have a solid plan. _If_ we have a plan that I can agree with settled that keeps you safe and has little headache, then I'll probably say yes." He moved his hand from her shoulder to sit on top of her head. "Can you agree to this?"

Suzumi bit her lip. "Yeah. It sounds fair." She looked down again and took a step back. When Soryu took a step forward, she started.

He laughed softly. "You can let go of my shirt now. You basically won." He frowned, but his voice lacked any real bitterness.

Suzumi flushed, realizing she still had a tight grip on him and immediately let go. She flexed her fingers to regain some feeling in them. "I didn't realize I was holding on so tightly. I'm sorry."

"You've picked an odd time to suddenly be meek," Soryu quipped, smoothing out some of the wrinkles she'd created. "Let's go to the meeting with the others."

"But they left ages ago, won't we have missed stuff?" she asked, confused as he beckoned her to follow.

"No," he sighed. "Those idiots are probably gossiping right now. They'll pretend to have been talking the whole time when we go in. Ignore any teasing."

Suzumi nodded and followed close behind.

/*\

Soryu hadn't been wrong in the slightest. Ota and Baba naturally lead the pack in their assault, Eisuke throwing in a taunt with a wide smirk before calling the meeting back to order. It was plain to see he was satisfied with the mortified look on Suzumi's face, even with Soryu threatening to pull out his gun from his jacket.

"How long do we have?" Ota asked, looking up from a stack of photographs, items going through authenticity checks.

"About two hours max," Eisuke said, sitting back in his chair.

"Two hours before what?" Suzumi asked, confused. She couldn't follow their line of conversation.

Baba smiled and gestured to the group. "Haruka. Her shift ends in about an hour and a half. She hates the auctions and just pouts and frowns the entire time we plan if she's present. So we opt to work when she's working when possible."

"Eisuke hasn't trained her properly," Ota smirked.

"I'll do what I wish with my woman. She's come a long way," Eisuke said, glaring.

"True. Remember when she tried to stop one?" Kishi let out a plume of smoke from his seat on the couch. "She hasn't done anything like that since. Now she just glares at us."

"Why does she hate it so much? Who cares?" Suzumi asked, sitting next to Soryu on the couch with Eisuke.

"She's got a strong sense of right and wrong. She's very black and white with no grey in between." Soryu picked up a stack of papers in front of him and began thumbing through them. "She's the ultimate moral compass, but unfortunately she learns lessons the hard way because of that, too."

"And she gets along with everyone still?"

"She's a good woman. Very earnest and honest to a fault because of that moral compass. I think of everyone, she can't get over me being a thief, " Baba answered.

"She's none too pleased with me bein' a cop doin' this, either," Kishi added, smirking.

"And yet I make her come to the auctions," Eisuke said, matter of fact. "However, she won't be at the next one. I want my focus on you and Souma and she can be a handful." To the others, he said, "Let's cover the usual business before we move on to our extracurriculars."

"Is it okay if I make myself some coffee?" Suzumi asked, pointing to the table to the side.

"Do as you please."

* * *

"Hold still! I have to check it like Luke told me to!" Suzumi chastised Soryu from her position on the couch. He stood over her, frowning as he examined his now mostly healed wound. He held back the grimace that wanted out as she directly poked the old bullet wound.

"I feel like you're doing more than you need to, " he bit out, wincing. He did a double take at the smile on her face.

"Don't know what you mean," she said pleasantly. Her smile remained.

"You're enjoying this."

"I enjoy many things in life. You're set, Soryu."

Suzumi pat him on the arm and let him go, watching the mob boss as he stalked to his room to grab his shirt, smile never leaving her face. After he disappeared around the corner, she began the cleanup of his discarded bandages. After two weeks, and a slight infection caused by Baba, Soryu was allowed to now to forego bandages and leave the Tres Spades to continue his work on site. Judging how fidgety he'd been during her exam and disinfecting, he was eager to get back to the Ice Dragons' office. Phone calls to his group both in Japan and in Hong Kong and meetings with Inui and Samejima were not as effective, he lamented after each one finished.

"Can I come with you to the office?" she asked when he came out of the bedroom, throwing on his jacket.

"Why?" Soryu asked, skeptical.

"I have a theory and I would like to talk to Samejima and Aki about it. You've had them doing recon, right?"

Soryu weighed his options, trying to ignore the hopeful face the woman was giving him. Each theory and hunch she'd had since arriving in his doorstep had been correct, she'd already proven herself more than worth the money he'd paid for her. His main concern was a possible rival attack on their way to headquarters. While not common on a daily basis, any number of rivals could attempt an attack and he wasn't sure if he would be able to protect both himself and Suzumi.

As if sensing the cause for his hesitation, she said, "Samejima taught me ways to double back and keep myself inconspicuous. If you're worried because I'd be with you, I could go a little ahead or behind."

"Absolutely not." Quick to shoot down the thought of her being alone, Soryu glared but Suzumi wasn't phased. "Stick with me or you don't go at all. Go get ready, I'm leaving in ten minutes."

As soon as she left the room, he had an overwhelming urge that he'd been played. Sighing, he checked his phone and idly waited for her to change. He moved the idea of giving her self defense training to the top of his list again. Baba still owed him and was was going to need it before the auction in less than two weeks. Given any percent that she could be separated from him in the melee that was the I.V.C., he wanted to ensure she had the opportunity to run or incapacitate someone until he or the other Ice Dragons arrived. Now that he was mostly healed, he could take part in certain lessons as well. This was something he was very pleased with, it ensured she would get proper lessons.

Right as ten minutes were up, he began to call out for Suzumi, but stopped short when she walked out of her room, another smile on her face. She stopped in front of him and gestured to the door.

"Are we going now?"

"You're awfully pleased with yourself, aren't you?"

"I'm just behaving like I was told to," she laughed. She waited for him to head to the door first.

"Like you were told to?"

"Well, besides just listening to you… Luke said I should be a little more open. So I'm trying to be a little more honest with what I think." She played with the fringe of her shirt nervously, the only sign she was unsure.

Soryu smirked and nodded in understanding. "A lot makes sense now. You're very bold today."

Suzumi's smile faded slightly, but was still present. "This is how I used to be."

Laying a hand on her head, Soryu ruffled her curls a little, getting the annoyed squawk of protest he'd been hoping for. "That's a little terrifying. Let's go."

A half hour later, the two entered Ice Dragon headquarters, surprising many of Soryu's subordinates. The surprise seemed to be a happy one, as the men all gathered around their boss with cheerful greetings and questions about a business trip they all thought he'd been on. Once things settled with brief answers from Soryu, the men started greeting Suzumi as well.

"Hi there, Suzumi!"

"Hey there, boss woman!"

"Princess!"

Suzumi froze at the last one, the smile she was giving the others turning brittle. "Oh no…'

Inui bulldozed through the other men and reached out to grab Suzumi's hands, but was shut down by Soryu.

"Inui, enough!"

Like an admonished dog, Inui backed up and frowned. The other men laughed, joking about how the kid was trying to take the boss's woman. Suzumi looked between the seemingly infinite sad eyes of Inui and the narrowed eyes of Soryu who stood next to her protectively. With a sigh, when spoke to the young gang member.

"Hello, Inui. Good to see you today. Let's just keep it down a bit today, okay?"

Inui's frown disappeared as he began looking pensive. "Princess, you're very kind. I went overboard, didn't I?" He hung his head sadly and bowed. "I'm sorry."

Suzumi waved her hands, gesturing for him to stand. "It's fine, don't bow. You just need to tone it down a bit."

Inui nodded. "Samejima was saying something about that, but I thought he was trying to tease me."

"Just behave," Soryu said firmly. "We'll have our meeting in an hour. I'll be in my office until then. Suzumi." Soryu began walking towards the back of the building, not bothering to see if she followed. He knew she was just a step behind him.

The other Dragons in the room poked fun at Inui as they walked away, a few admonishing the younger man for his over enthusiasm. When both Soryu and Suzumi made it to his private office, Soryu locked the door with a definitive click and pulled out a thick Manila file.

"Look these over for any patterns. Use a notepad to jot things down. Include anything you know that could help that isn't mentioned. If you're one hundred percent certain it's viable information, include it directly into the paperwork."

He sat down and pulled out a second folder, one not as thick but had plenty of place markers and spare notebook paper jammed inside.

"What's in that one?" Suzumi asked, pulling her chair up to the front of Soryu's desk. She watched as Soryu tapped the cover of the folder pensively.

"Information that's been intercepted from Osiris Brethren foreign offices. Transcripts, recorded conversation, emails, et cetera. We need to try and decipher it soon, but I'm having trouble finding people who can read through them smoothly."

Suzumi blinked, confused at what she was hearing. "Soryu, I'm a communications major. I could probably do those for you."

He shook his head. "Focus on what I've given you. I'll find a translator."

"What languages?"

"No."

"Soryu, for a man who found out so much about me when he came into possession of me, you're acting very ignorant. Did you not find out how many languages I speak? The odds that I speak what you have in that folder are very high. Granted, I don't speak aboriginal or any tribal languages, but I know quite a bit of the major world languages."

Soryu's eyes narrowed. "How many?"

"Total including basic concepts are about eight or nine. Fluently, about five outside Japanese." She didn't skip a beat, crossing her arms at the incredulous look he gave her.

"Which?" He did little to hide the sudden excitement in his voice. The growing smirk on his face only encouraged her own.

"English, Chinese, Italian, French, and Russian. I was working on Spanish, which if I get back to that sooner than later, I can say I'm fluent by the end of the year. I have basic concepts of Portuguese, Arabic, and German."

Soryu fought to keep from gaping at her. "How…"

Suzumi shrugged. "I've always been good with words and language. It's why I went to school for communications and the like. I'm terrible at math, but I make up for it in being able to insult people nine different ways."

"Did Souma know about this?"

"Doubtful. We didn't do a lot of talking. And I met Ren by chance just the once in a bookstore. Taichi had very little interest in me so long as I never got pregnant." She snorted disdainfully.

Soryu let out a laugh, deep from his belly. The sound startled Suzumi for a moment, but she relaxed when she realized how hard he was laughing. Sitting in confusion, she waiting a full minute before his undignified laughter tapered off into wheezing. He attempted to get his breathing under control while the woman in front of him squirmed.

"What's so funny?"

"Those idiots had no idea what they had."

"I don't follow."

"Suzumi," Soryu finally calmed down and leveled his eyes with her own. "You are probably one of the greatest assets we have ever had. You have a sharp mind, mind-boggling skills, and are tougher than most women. I will regret the day our deal is done, for a multitude of reasons."

"I'm glad I can be a useful tool," she whispered, looking down. There was a pause in the room, one that suddenly felt awkward. Before it could drag on, Suzumi reached across the desk and yanked the folder from Soryu's hands. "Leave both of these to me. I'll have them done before I have to go back to the hotel tonight."

"Suzumi," Soryu began, but was cut off by a knock on the door.

Striding over to the door, he unlocked it and swung it open to see one of his men, Kaede, bowing in apology. "What?"

"Boss, Samejima came back and dropped off more foreign documents. He told me to get them to you, as he left again for another task." Kaede handed Soryu a thick folder.

Before Soryu could crack them open to skim through, Suzumi slid up next to him and grabbed the folder.

"Thank you, Kaede. I needed more to do." She put on a grin and waved the folder. Ignoring Soryu's narrowed eyes, she calmly walked back to her chair and sat in it gracefully. Oblivious to the tension, Kaede gave a friendly wave back to Suzumi and a respectful bow to Soryu, leaving quickly.

"I'm going to the meeting. Stay here."

"Fine, fine. I've got plenty to do here." Suzumi waved off Soryu who still stood by the door. She didn't raise her head from the folder she was skimming.

"We're going over other Ice Dragon business so you won't be necessary. You'll have a lot on your plate, being so over eager." He eyed her dubiously. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

Suzumi nodded. "Piece of cake. This top document is in a form of English and French. It's an American dialect called Creole. It's tricky but I can handle it."

Soryu nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. Waiting until she heard his footsteps fade down the hall, Suzumi let out a sigh. She sat down the folder and stretched her arms, letting out the tension that had built up in her shoulders and muscles.

"Something is different," she muttered, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

She was unable to put her finger on it, but something had shifted and it was nagging at her, begging for attention. Since she had cried openly in front of Soryu, the atmosphere between the two of them had changed and she was unable to decipher to what was so different. It reminded of of their first few weeks around each other, awkward glances and dancing around one another. But even that had felt different than this somehow.

Sighing again, Suzumi shook her head and pulled close her notepad and the Creole document, ready to translate. Pen hovering over the paper, she took in the words and allowed her hand to make the necessary movements, the new words scribbling across the once blank page.

* * *

**A/N:** _Thanks again for reading, please let me know your thoughts. You should have picked up on the change, like Suzumi has. What you've all been asking for is now developing, but this isn't just an in and out story, we're developing a fine wine. So savor it! _

_Last chapter, I asked which character(s) other that Soryu were your favorite. Now, which character is your least favorite? This doesn't just limit you to the original five, but the others, Luke and Shuichi from season 2 as well. I tend to go through phases when I go back to play the game. Right now, I'm not a fan of Mamo, but his season 3 was just released so that may change. I just got over my Ota phase and after the Anniversary event Voltage gave us, I'm digging Eisuke again. I need more Luke in my life, though._

_Anyway, thanks for reading, leave me some words!_

_itakethewords_


	15. Matinee

**Author's Note:** _Good evening! Or, er, late night. Whichever it may be for you. Here's another chapter for you! Please read the author's note at the end of this chapter for some info that you may enjoy!_

_Please remember to leave a review!_

**Disclaimer:** _I own only my own characters. Voltage owns the rest._

* * *

Oh tell me then  
I turn my back while the odds all stand beneath me  
And they all said I was mislead  
But the odds now standing with me

**Disparate Youth** \- Santigold

**Fifteen.**

Less than three days before the next I.V.C. and black market auction, Suzumi found herself in the penthouse lounge with a host of auction managers and an amused maid of the Tres Spades. She stood on a soft mat, facing a dressed down Baba who looked worse for wear, and was flush from activity.

"I think she's got it, Sor. Do I really have to keep doing this?" Baba wiped the sweat from his brow with one hand and rubbed the small of his back with the other.

Eisuke, looking on from his seat on the couch, smirked at Baba's discomfort. "You're showing your age, Baba."

"For once, I'm going to agree."

Suzumi frowned and took a step forward. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

Baba smiled, but took a step back automatically. "No, no. I'm fine. I'm just tired."

Soryu stook from his seat on the couch and shrugged out of his jacket. "If you've beaten Baba, it's time if you can fight me off. My skill level is much higher than his."

Suzumi's eyes widened, but she didn't say a word. She wasn't quite able to make the connection of how she was able to put Baba on his back and even incapacitate Kishi, but the training and exercises that the men had been giving her over the last two weeks had clearly made a difference. The first several times they'd met in Soryu's living room, Suzumi found herself on her behind or arms behind her back. They'd treated her with kid gloves, but she'd mentally prepared herself and was able to fight off most of the trepidation that came with the mock attacks and demanded more from them. She had yet to fight with Soryu, but practicing with Baba, Kishi, and Samejima who all had different styles and training had unwittingly lead her to her ability today in flattening the thief in under five minutes.

"I thought you were just teaching her self defense. Isn't this straight out fighting?" Haruka asked, trying to hide her smile as Baba muttered to himself next to her. Her eyes caught Suzumi, who was watching Soryu's movements as he loosened his shirt cuffs and took off his tie. She tilted her head at the observation before glancing at Eisuke. It looked like the man witnessed the same thing, if the smirk on his lips and narrowing of his eyes was any indication. She knew that face too well; it said he now knew something Soryu didn't and he was going to hold it close.

"She's got to have a little of both," Soryu said, voice neutral. "If she can get their arms off of her, that's one thing. But what if they come in for another chance? If she can temporarily incapacitate them and disorient them with basic fight techniques, then she has a chance at getting away and finding help."

"Shouldn't she rest?" she asked, taking in Suzumi's flushed state and slightly heavier than normal breathing.

"No, this is fine. If I do happen to be attacked, I don't think the Brethren would give me ten minutes to catch my breath," Suzumi interjected, shaking her head. "Ready when you are, Soryu."

As they each took a beginning stance, Suzumi could hear Ota whispering to Kishi. "Bets for this time? You won for Baba knocked flat five out of five, I won for final match under five minutes, and Eisuke won for overall hit points and time on the others."

"Whaddya thinkin'?"

"Five thousand on Soryu winning in under three minutes. A grand on Suzumi leaving a bruise on Soryu?"

"Fine. I'll put two on Suzumi losing but getting a second shot and winning that one."

Eisuke added his two cents. "Ten on Suzumi giving Soryu a black eye today and ten with this match ending with Soryu pinning her."

"You're all incorrigible," Haruka hissed, laughing softly.

"Shut up," Soryu growled, casting a glance to the sitting area. "You're all terrible." He turned his attention back to the woman in front of him. "Now."

It took six minutes and forty-six seconds for the spar to be over, as Kishi timed it. Suzumi lost, but kept Soryu working for his lengthy win. She elbowed him in the chest, just below his collarbones, which had the others wincing. Ota smirked, knowing it would leave a bruise and two grand in his pocket when the day was done. Both Eisuke and Kishi won, seeing as she'd lost, but Eisuke's guess that it would take Soryu fully pinning her to the mat to keep her from fighting tooth and nail that won him twenty thousand.

Haruka had to call the match to get Suzumi from continually attempting to throw off Soryu. "Suzumi, it's over. Are you okay?" She went to stand, but Eisuke put out an arm to stop her.

"Just wait, it's not over yet."

She wanted to protest but kept silence, taking her eyes off Eisuke and putting them back on the pair.

"I win, it's over." Soryu looked down and made eye contact with the woman under him and, as she calmed down, removed his hands from her arms. Not a moment later, her hands flew up, shoving him off of her completely. Not paying attention to where her hands were flying, Soryu could feel her fist connect with the skin of his face and he let out a grunt of pain.

The mafia man, stunned for a moment, fell back and watched as Suzumi grabbed for his arms, pushing them behind his back, and pinned him down on his stomach, reversing their roles. Sitting on top of his back, Suzumi grinned and twisted his arms.

"_I _win," she said, laughing.

"Fine," Soryu grumbled. "This match is done. Get off."

"You sound a little bitter, Oh," Kishi said from his seat, stubbing out his cigarette.

Suzumi climbed off of Soryu and offered him her hand, which he accepted. With a grunt, he stood and brushed off his shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles. Behind him, he could hear the other men discussing the outcome of their wagers and frowned. _Idiots_. Next to him, Suzumi was giving him worried side glances.

"What's wrong?" he asked, glancing down.

"I'm sorry I hit you. Are you okay?" She wrung her hands nervously, watching his face for his response.

Soryu smiled faintly. "It's fine. That was a good move, feinting and then disorienting me. I didn't expect that of you. Did you think of that yourself?"

Suzumi blushed at the unexpected praise. "Kind of. Life experience, I guess." She shrugged. "Do you think Friday will be okay?"

He was quiet a moment, looking thoughtful. "Yes. Just stick with the plan. I'm happy with the progress you've made. We'll just continue after the weekend."

"Haruka, get some ice for Soryu. His eye is going to need it," Eisuke said from his seat, watching Soryu button his sleeves back and put his tie back on.

"Yes, definitely," she said, hurrying out of the penthouse.

"Here's a towel, kid," Kishi said, handing her a clean one.

She took it with a small smile and nodded. "Thanks." Sitting down in the spot next to Ota, she used the towel and watched as Soryu and Eisuke bickered over things in hushed tones. Next to her, the angelic artist was sketching in a notebook. "What's that?"

"Hmm? Oh, never you mind, Sora." Ota turned the notebook away from her, eyes darting between her and the page. "Just something that was commissioned. I'm almost done with the real deal, but the finishing touches aren't quite there yet."

"Suzumi."

Looking up, she saw both Eisuke and Soryu looking at her, two pairs of dark eyes staring hard. "Yes?"

Soryu was the first to speak. "We're going to go over the plan one more time. If there's anything you don't want to do or you think should be changed, this will be your chance to speak up."

"She's not going to _not want_ to do anything, Soryu." Eisuke snorted. "While she may think of possible tactical changes, I can see she won't be backing out."

Suzumi nodded in agreement. "I won't be backing out on anything. Let's go over the plan now."

"Suzumi's so brave," Baba said, grinning over his cup of coffee. "Perhaps when this is done we should talk over dinner, hmm?"

"You keep your hands off of her, Baba." Soryu reached into his jacket, raising a brow. His hand stayed hidden, but the implied threat was there. When Baba raised his hands in defeat, Soryu withdrew his hand but kept his glare on the thief.

Suzumi laughed nervously. "Ahaha, no thanks, Baba."

"Anyway." Eisuke sent a cold glare at Baba and sent a quick glare towards Suzumi as well, ignoring her bewildered face. "The I.V.C. starts at six, but that's relatively early. Mostly celebrities and other socialites will arrive by then. I'll head down around seven. Mamoru, you'll need to be down there before then. I'll make my speech around seven thirty, I expect Ota and Baba, that you'll be down there before then as well. Soryu, you and Suzumi should head down just after six. I want her acclimated to crowds slowly."

"You'll put me in the den of lionesses, Eisuke?" Soryu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm fine with it, I suppose."

"A den of lionesses?" Suzumi asked skeptically. "Are you expecting other enemies?"

Ota smirked and answered her inquiry. "Soryu actually hates women. He especially hates when they cling and when they wear perfume."

It clicked for her. "Oh. Do these women at the I.V.C. really throw themselves at you? At any of you?" She initially looked to Soryu, but let her eyes wander to the others. Most of them smirked, answering her question silently. Kishi kept his bored look on and Soryu frowned gave a big sigh again.

"The women who attend these things are nothing but leeches. If they're not after marriage or money, they want to be attached to a name. It's like they bathe in the most vile, sickly perfumes like it will actually help their chances with a rich man."

"Baba is the only one who likes the attention," Ota laughed. "I can't stand most of the people, men or women. They just like to pander and kiss ass."

"Long story short, yes. Ota, make sure Suzumi is taken care of for that night. You're in charge of making sure she's presentable at my party." Eisuke crossed his arms.

"Of course, Boss. It's almost ready. And I'll make sure the rest gets done, too."

Eisuke nodded. "I assume that Taichi Souma will arrive sometime between seven thirty and eight thirty. The auction starts at nine thirty, so the fool will probably come to try and make connections. He's constantly seeking partnerships with me in exchange for money. Suzumi and Soryu will need to be prepared for initial contact by no later than eight thirty. By then, I expect at some point one of us will see him." Focusing mostly on Suzumi, Eisuke's sharp eyes caught hers and held her in place. "The best initial course of action is to not talk to him first. If he engages any conversation, stay and chat. Be soft, aloof, and let him know nothing. The best scenario is to have him catch view of you several times before he talks with you. Knowing Souma, he won't be able to resist saying something."

"Should I, I don't know, act a little more submissive in deference to Soryu? He knows I was bought at auction and acting as a slave or whatever would make more sense than whatever I am now." Suzumi asked, looking between Soryu and Eisuke.

Soryu shook his head. "No. If you weren't the best at being truly submissive when you were in his household, I don't think he'd believe you were suddenly demure and obedient in mine. We don't need to over complicate the situation with acting. I don't think you could act submissive now even if we demanded it. It was never in your nature and that's why they weren't able to really break you in the way they preferred."

"Agreed. You'll gain more by acting like yourself, just as you are now. In fact, it may enrage him more seeing the progress you've made." Eisuke's grin sent shivers down her spine.

Haruka chose that moment to walk back into the penthouse, a wrapped bag of ice in one hand and her cell phone in the other. "Soryu, this is for your face. It's starting to darken now." She handed the ice over and, accepting the mobster's thanks, sat in her place on Eisuke's left side.

"Ugh, sorry, Soryu." Suzumi winced with him as he attempted to place the ice on his rapidly forming black eye.

"It's fine. It showed me you can defend yourself sufficiently."

"Haruka, go out with your friends tomorrow. I don't want you near the Tres Spades tomorrow," Eisuke said, glancing to his girlfriend.

The maid opened her mouth to argue, but seeing the set form of his jaw and the cold eyed glare he was giving, she paused and thought better. It was rare, but Haruka did occasionally listen to Eisuke without arguments. She could sense the seriousness that radiated off him and decided it wasn't worth it to argue.

"O-okay. Just tell me what happens when the night is done. Let me know when it's okay to come back."

"Moving on. At any point, should you feel overwhelmed, please let Soryu know. We have several places where we can remove you. Once initial walking around is done on the floor of the general population I.V.C., come down to the auction hall. We will all meet up in our private room and watch the auction."

Everyone who was paying attention nodded, serious looks on their faces.

* * *

/*\

"Suzumi, I heard from others at the office that you did a week's worth of work in about a day?" Samejima watched the area around them as the woman glanced at her options in the convenience store. There was only an older woman reading a magazine near the front and the clerk, who looked bored and was looking at his phone just out of sight.

Suzumi looked up from her lunch options, blinking in surprise. "Oh, yeah. It wouldn't have been as long if I hadn't had some trouble with one of the languages. I'm getting a bit rusty. The notes were easy, the outer reports were harder. Do you want anything?"

Samejima shook his head. "No. I ate before you came to the office today. Go ahead and get what you want, the boss gave me money for you." He paused, watching her turn back to the food. "What did you think of the work?"

"It was fine. A little fun, actually. I got to use my skills. I can't say I was planning on using it for this when I was attending university, but here I am." She reached out and grabbed a fried chicken lunch set and a can of green tea. "Okay, I'm ready."

They went to the counter together and the bored clerk made quick work of taking their money before going back to his phone. Leaving the store, they headed back towards the Tres Spades, their detour to the convenience store a whimsical distraction. Next to her, Suzumi could tell Samejima was keeping an eye on the people around them still. It made the thought of a sudden attack a little nerve-wracking and kept her focus on the crowd as well.

"Suzumi?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't react. We're going to continue walking to the hotel, we're almost there. But there are two men following us on the other side of the street."

"What?"

Samejima pat her head and smiled, his face not showing the hard edge in his voice. "Just act normal. If we can get to the hotel property, they shouldn't try anything. There's other Dragons there and they shouldn't dare follow into the hotel."

"Shouldn't?" She couldn't keep her voice from raising an octave.

"Well, the world is full of idiots. Let's go."

Heart in her throat, Suzumi did as she was told, resisting the strong urge to look around for these men that were following them. She tried hard to keep her steps at a normal pace, miming Samejima, but had to correct herself a few times when she'd get ahead of the gang member. When they reached the property owned by the Ichinomiya Group, she frowned seeing Samejima pull out a cell phone and ask for two men to meet him in the lobby.

"Samejima?"

"They're outside."

"Those men?"

He nodded, frown mirroring her own. "They're not smart. I can't tell who they're with. Given tension with the Brethren, I can't imagine them right now, but who knows. I'm having two of the guys who frequent security here come down to keep an eye on things. You need to go up to your room. I need to call the boss."

"I'll head up there, see if the others are nearby? Do you think Soryu will be okay with me alone right now?"

Samejima nodded. "Yeah, I trust Ichinomiya's hotel. There shouldn't be an issue on the upper floors. Go quickly."

Suzumi nodded. "Be careful."

"Nothing will happen." He nodded anyway and kept an eye on her until the elevator door closed.

Alone for the first time outside the room in a long while, Suzumi could feel the tension rolling through her entire body. Her fingers were tightly clasped around the keycard in her pocket and the other hand gripped the now forgotten bag of food. The ride up was the same as it always was; smooth, quiet, and lush in over the top decor and high quality material. She could see her unhappy reflection in the polished metal of the elevator door. As she hit the 51st floor, she stepped out and took in her surroundings. The hallway was empty, none of the staff nor any auction managers roaming the floor.

She made it to Soryu's door without any surprise attacks and the same was true when she went into the suite and shut the door. No one was waiting in ambush for her, despite the running scenarios in her head. Not realizing just how tense she had been the whole time, upon shutting the door, she collapsed on the spot, leaning her back against the wood of the door.

"We're getting past the point of no return," she muttered to herself. "Tomorrow is the day."

Suddenly, the room phone rang, cutting through the silence of the suite. Suzumi bit back a yelp of surprise and stood. Sliding over to the phone near the couch, she picked up the handset. "Hello?"

"Suzumi?"

"Soryu?"

"You made it to the room okay? You sound different."

"I just got to the room. I was just nervous. You're calling to check in on me?" Suzumi let out a shaky laugh.

"Samejima called me and told me the situation. I wanted to make sure you made it, he said he sent you up there alone." There was a steel edge in his voice that Suzumi couldn't quite place.

"Do you know who those men were?"

There was a lack of words on the other line, though she could hear noise on the other end. She could almost see the wheels in Soryu's head turn as he thought about how to answer. "Soryu?"

"They were Osiris Brethren. They aren't downstairs anymore, so I wouldn't worry. But don't go downstairs alone right now. Samejima is heading back to the office now, but the other two Ice Dragons, Nanahoshi and Tanemura, will be down there until after I come back. They'll stop them from coming into the hotel."

"I wasn't really planning on it," Suzumi muttered. "Thank you."

She could hear the confusion in his voice as Soryu answered. "For what?"

"Checking in on me."

"I'll be home tonight. Just behave and stay out of trouble."

"You act like I look for trouble!" Suzumi grinned into the phone, her voice indignant.

Soryu let out a laugh. "Like a magnet. I'll see you later, Suzumi."

Hanging up the phone, Suzumi took a deep breath. She shrugged out of her jacket and hung it up on the coat rack before picking up her abandoned food and setting it on the coffee table. Sitting down with another large sigh, she tried to relax and run through the next night's plans. It was overall very simple, but there were so many variables and relying on other's people's' actions more than their own controlled ones. They could account for seven men and one sparrow, but there was no telling what the rabid wolf would do.

* * *

**A/N:** _So I made a playlist for this story over on Spotify. It has nearly all the songs mentioned at the top of each chapter, plus others that fit my idea of the story. It will get updated every time this story does, plus others if I find one that fits. So make sure to subscribe and follow this playlist. The link for it is in my profile. If that link doesn't work for whatever reason, PM me. If you have any song ideas that may work, please let me know in a review or PM and we'll chit chat over it. It's just a fun list, nothing serious._

_As always, reviews are what keep me posting. I'll always write this, because I'm writing for me. But reviews tell me people are reading and that I should continue to bother posting._

_I got a bunch of responses to the questions I've been asking lately, and everyone always surprises me. Next question is, is there a substory/special story that is your favorite in KBTBB? There's so many of them, I know! But is there one or two you keep going back to reread?_

_Until next time,_  
_itakethewords_


	16. Intermission

**Author's Note:**_ I bet some of you are really surprised at how often this is getting updated now. Originally in 2014 when I started this, I wanted to post often but knew it would be hard because of work and school and general adulting. Then I didn't for periods of time. Then suddenly, POW! Updates out the wazoo. So those of you who have been around since then, thanks!_

_Second, as I mentioned last chapter, I made a playlist to accompany this story that includes some of the songs mentioned at the top of the chapters and more. It's on Spotify and you can find more info about that playlist in my profile. I have the link on my Tumblr since FanFiction hates links. It gets updated every time this story is updated, so make sure to follow it._

_Thanks so much for clicking on this story and reading. Please leave me a review and let me know you're thoughts._

_**Disclaimer**: I only own my original characters and the plot. The rest is Voltage INC._

* * *

This flood (this flood) is slowly rising up swallowing the ground  
Beneath my feet, Tell me how anybody thinks under this condition so  
I'll swim (I'll swim) as the water rises up, the sun is sinking down

**Dark Blue** \- Jack's Mannequin

**Sixteen.**

Soryu had come home that night and, after ordering dinner, spent the rest of the evening and late night going through security checks with Eisuke and others on staff like Mr Kenzaki. Eisuke had been none too happy when learning of the trespass committed that afternoon. He stood in the living room of Soryu's suite, summoned by the mob boss, a deep frown etched on his face. Arms crossed, he cast a side glance at Suzumi before addressing Soryu.

"Take care of it however you need to. Let me know if I need to send a strong reminder to Souma about which of us begs for scraps. I have meetings, call me if you find something important."

Soryu hadn't come back to the suite until after midnight, the door to the suite shutting with a definite click announcing his arrival. Suzumi had been in her room, reading through more Ice Dragon interceptions when she heard the quiet noises cut through the silence. Poking her head out of her room, she could see a weary-looking Soryu slip out of his jacket and toss it on the couch. He looked nowhere near as tired as what she'd seen him in the past, but there was a run of tension she could see in the way he held his shoulders as he walked to his bedroom.

"Goodnight, Suzumi."

"What!?" she gasped, mouth dropping open. She forgot being quiet, shocked that he knew she'd been watching him.

Soryu turned a little, catching her eye. "Go to sleep. You're going to need your rest. You have to deal with Ota all day tomorrow before we go to the auctions." There was a smirk on his lips and he spoke. "He and Eisuke have plans for you."

"I don't like the sound of that…"

"Goodnight." He paused. "The hotel is secure. You've got nothing to worry about."

She sighed. "Okay. Goodnight."

Soryu stayed in the doorway to his own bedroom, waiting until he heard no more movement from Suzumi's. The click of her door shutting, the rustling of her climbing into bed, and the inevitable mumbling to herself that she always did before bed. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck and shut his door, undressing to take a very late and very needed hot shower.

/*\

"Sora! You did what I told you to on the phone, right?" Ota walked into the suite, carrying a garment bag and a large box with a handle. He called out for Suzumi, who was standing in the kitchenette sipping a cup of tea, not surprised to hear him come in of his own accord.

"Hello, Ota. Yes. I took a bath with the stuff you had Haruka bring me."

Ota, after dropping off his items in the living room, poked his head into the cooking space and grabbed a mug sitting by the sink for himself. He appraised Suzumi's current appearance as he poured his own cup of tea. Standing in a thick robe with damn hair, Suzumi had an annoyed look on her face, which amused him greatly. It was already just past lunch, but he had a lot of work to do to make her passable for one of Eisuke's parties. There was only four hours before Soryu would be back from his work and before the little songbird and mafia boss had to make an appearance at the I.V.C. and he wasn't going to let anyone say Ota Kisaki cut corners on something he put his stamp on.

"Let's go to the living room. I have things you need to change into, then I'm going to do your hair and makeup."

Following with a nod, Suzumi walked with Ota to the living room and saw that he had actually been carrying much more than it had seemed from her glance in the doorway. Two shopping bags, a garment bag, the box that turned out to be a makeup kit, and a smaller boutique bag set aside from the others. Ota handed her the first shopping bag.

"Change into these. They go with your outfit tonight."

"My outfit? I'm not wearing one of the dresses I already have?"

Ota shook his finger at her, as if admonishing her. "No. You have something special for your debut. Change into those, then put the robe back on. Come out and I'll work on your nails and hair."

After a few minutes, Ota, who was sorting through nail colors, could hear Suzumi shout across the suite. He laughed to himself and kept comparing colors.

"OTA! NO!"

"Little Sora, come on out! Just wear your robe so I won't see!"

"Ota, you're awful." Face flush, Suzumi slunk out of her room and stood in front of the artist hands on her hips. "These are ridiculously indecent."

"It doesn't matter, no one will see them. Right?"

Suzumi narrowed her eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

He hummed and pat the seat next to him. "Nothing, nothing. Come on, I have a lot to do."

"Why can't I wear what I have?" Sitting gingerly on the couch, she begrudgingly handed over one of her hands to him and let him work on her nails.

"Because this is a special dress and it requires special undergarments. You can't go to an Eisuke Ichinomiya party being ordinary." He applied a crimson lacquer to the first fingers after buffing them.

Suzumi sighed. "But I am ordinary. I'm just a regular woman in a weird situation."

"You haven't been ordinary since the day you came to the Tres Spades." Ota paused and met her eyes. His face was unusually serious, amber eyes focusing in on her. "From what I hear, you've got skill. You're smart, a pretty woman, and can keep up with us all pretty well. You know a fair amount of the underground now and act like it's nothing major. I'd go as far as to say you're anything but ordinary." He began again with applying the deep red color.

"Whether or not you want to become ordinary after this nasty gang war business is done, that is another issue. Do you think you can go back to an ordinary life?"

"What do you mean? Is that what everyone else does?"

"Did you have a job before you were kidnapped? What about your family and friends? From what I know, everyone thinks your old persona is dead. You are a woman with no background. You're legitimate, you have papers and a birth certificate with Suzumi Fukari on the dotted line. But you have no one to go back to, definitely no job. You've been with us for about six months, you were with the Soumas for three or four. Tonight isn't where it all ends, but it does get a little more serious. Should everything Soryu is planning with Eisuke work out, I imagine you'll be able to leave the Tres Spades in three months. Let me see your foot."

Suzumi changed positions and hesitantly allowed Ota to paint her toenails as well. His face, still serious, focused on a tidy job. "I haven't thought about it for a while now. I was supposed to start a new job with a great company later that week. It wasn't a big position, but Sanno is one of those great companies where you work hard and you can move up. My education is under Natsumi Takara, so I don't know if that was changed or given to me. Soryu said they would help me find an apartment. I guess...I just don't know." She sighed, realizing the position she was in.

Ota looked up, finished with the final nail, catching the confused look on Suzumi's face. He sighed, and sat the bottle of polish on the table. "I didn't bring up it to worry you. I just want you to realize how close you are to being free from the shadow of these Souma idiots. I'd be more than happy to hire you if you want a job after."

"Doing what?" Suzumi couldn't keep the skeptical look off her face. After knowing him for six months, she knew Ota's offers always came with either hefty price tags or some twisted reasoning.

"Being my pet, of course!"

"No."

Ota shrugged and smiled. "Oh well. I don't think he'll like me playing with his things anyway. Let's go to the bathroom. I'm going to do your hair next."

"Wait, who are you talking about?"

"Let's go, Sora! You're hair's grown so much since you came, so this will be fun."

Half an hour later, Suzumi found herself back on the couch in the living room, hair done and Ota next to her taking a phone call from a patron. She peeked into the larger hand mirror once more, surprised at the work he'd done on her. One side of her head had her hair pinned back, the thick curls fighting but miraculously obeying Ota's pins. On the other side, her hair cascaded down to rest on her shoulder. In the six months that she'd come to stay at the Odaiba casino and hotel, her hair had grown a good five or six inches, thriving under the short length and light weight.

"Time to stop staring at yourself. I have to do your makeup so I can get you in your dress." Ota ended his phone call and glanced towards the woman next to him. When she huffed and stuttered a denial, he stuck his tongue out at her and motioned for her to scoot closer. "I don't think I've really seen you put on makeup the entire time you've been here."

Suzumi shrugged and allowed him to start applying foundation. "Not really. I think a couple of times I did something when I went to the Ice Dragon's office. Just some mascara and lip gloss. I'm not really looking to stand out or anything."

"Did you wear it before?"

"Yeah. Not a lot, but more than what I have been. I was dolled up a few times at the Souma mansion, so I've tried to avoid anything like that."

Ota kept a light smile on his face, but his eyes were very serious as he spoke next. "I still don't know a lot about what happened. But I'll listen if you ever decide to share. Grown ups are awful. They're always too serious and only think of themselves."

"Mm."

"Seriously. I think when people hit thirty, they are just the worst. They suddenly only think about what benefits them and they become extra boring. Don't end up that way, okay? Close your eyes." There was the soft sensation of Ota applying eye liner and color as Suzumi thought about what he said.

"Tonight, Soryu will come back to the room and get ready. I'll go get ready to pretend to like these leeches myself. Meanwhile, you and Soryu will head down to the main area of the I.V.C.. This part is where anyone with an invitation can come, but general public can sneak in. It's just an overblown party with a lot of booze. We'll all be in the room somewhere, but Soryu will be with you the entire time. Eventually, Soryu will know when, the two of you will join us in the private booth where we watch the auctions take place. Luke will also be there, as he is doing some favor for Eisuke. Tonight is basically to show you off to that bad guy, so I doubt much else will happen. I'd just have some drinks, maybe snack on some things, and focus on whichever idiot you're supposed to make angry. If you want, ask questions about the auctions. You're finished, up you go."

Ota ended his talk abruptly, taking Suzumi's hands and helping her to her feet. Surprised at the sudden change, Suzumi had to blink at the change in altitude and watched as Ota quickly and neatly put away his brushes and cosmetics.

"What's next?"

"Next I'll help you get in your new dress. Take off the robe." Ota reached out for the garment bag and held it up, grinning.

She frowned. "Is it absolutely necessary for you to help me or can I do it myself?" She crossed her arms against her chest and turned a little from him.

Ota started unzipping the bag with a sigh. "You _could_ do it on your own, but given I made the dress by hand, I feel like I can help you put it on best. I made special features on it that I'd like to show you."

"YOU made it?! I didn't know you made clothes, too!" Suzumi gaped, eyes wide. She watched as he took the dress from the bag. A shade of crimson to match her newly painted fingers, the material seemed to flow out of the bag as he pulled it out.

"Well, I wanted to make you a sexy little number, but I figured it was probably a bit much for you. One day I'll get to, I'm sure. Instead, since you basically forced Soryu to bring you to this tonight, I figured I'd meet both of you half way. I gave you some false modesty and gave Soryu a taste of home."

"False modesty? It covers so much!"

"But cheongsams are exotic and sexy! You show little skin but we get to see your curves!" Ota looked pleased with himself and he watched Suzumi's face for her reaction. He didn't see any negative reactions to it, just a faint blush in her cheeks and some skepticism.

"Well, I guess that's true. I've never worn one before… Was it a good idea to do my hair first?"

Ota nodded. "Yeah it's fine. That's why I need to help you. Don't be shy, it isn't like I haven't seen it before."

Glaring at him for just a moment, Suzumi sighed and, fighting the deepening blush on her cheeks, took off her robe to reveal the scarlet lingerie set he'd given her. Deciding to give her a break, Ota decided to keep his comments to himself and began helping her get into the cheongsam. Neither mentioned the handful of scars present that were clearly newer than childhood maladies. When they were finished, he took a step back and put a hand on his chin, evaluating the final product.

"Ah yes. Not bad."

"Hm? Really?" Trying to look at backside, Suzumi twisted around. "Let me go look in the bathroom."

"Wait, wait. Be patient. Let me show you some things I added. I didn't make you any old cheongsam, you know." Ota pulled her back to stand in front of him. "Here along this seam, there's actually a pocket. I recommend keeping your room key here. On the other side, there's another pocket, it's a little bigger because of the way the cheongsam fits. See the slit that goes up your left leg? If you wanted, you could hide something under the dress, maybe a knife, and access it easily." Pointing to his various features, Ota made sure Suzumi was paying attention. "In the bigger pocket right now, there's an inactive tracker. Worst case scenario, worst worst case, we can activate it and find you wherever you are. If everything goes great tonight, take it out and save it. It might be good to have it on you whenever you go out of the hotel, really. I promise to not turn it on unless Soryu can't find you. If you feel like you're in danger, reach into your pocket and push the button and hold it down for a count of three. It will turn it on and send a signal to all of our cell phones."

"You've put a lot of thought into this…" Suzumi took the tracker out of her pocket and stared at the small silver and black piece of technology.

Ota laughed and crossed his arms as he stared at her. "Of course we have. When one of us is attacked, we tend to enjoy revenge as a collective unit. Go look at yourself in the mirror while I clean up. Then I'll give you shoes and something else."

Bounding into the bathroom, Suzumi was able to get a much better look at her new dress and was immediately floored. Amazed at the fact Ota had made it, she touched the subtle embroidery across the silk material. She'd been unable to see it from her limited view, but in the mirror, the jaw dropping pattern he'd added to the smooth silk was a subtle work of art. On the other hand, it was a less than subtle mark of ownership that she didn't seem to mind.

Across the length of the cheongsam, a dragon wound its way around her legs, hugging her waist, protecting her back, and eventually resting on her shoulder. The dragon was delicately embroidered with rose gold thread and she had a sneaking suspicion it was something more than silk or cotton, knowing Ota and Eisuke, who had commissioned the dress. The skirt hugged her close and flared out near her ankles, the slit heading upward until mid-thigh. The seams were a red so dark, it seemed to suck in light itself and in the center of her chest, there was a tear drop shaped cut out, showing off a modest amount of cleavage.

"What do you think?"

Ota stood in the doorway, looking extremely proud of himself. Arms still crossed and smirk especially smug, he radiated both contentment commonplace with a finished piece and the knowledge that it was a high quality work.

"Honestly? I love this. I don't know if I've really ever paid attention to your stuff before, Ota. But this is wonderful. Please don't tell me how much it cost." Suzumi laughed, running her hands along the material.

"I don't think you could afford it this lifetime. Just make sure to thank Eisuke when the time is right. Come on, let me help you put the shoes on." They walked back to the living room where Ota pulled out a box from the last large shopping bag. "I obviously didn't cobble any shoes together. But I did make them better."

The shoes, the completely expected shade of crimson, gave off a rose gold sheen when viewed at different angles in the light. It gave them a glowing effect, which had Suzumi's eyes wide as saucers. It made Ota laugh to see her exaggerated reactions.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked suddenly, hands stopping short of taking the shoes. "I appreciate it all, but what do you get out of it?"

Ota's smile faded a little, but he didn't look too serious. "You're interesting. I hate being bored and this whole situation is very entertaining. Plus, what else am I going to do with my time?"

"Seriously?" She gave him a skeptical look.

"Seriously."

"You have too much money."

He laughed and tossed the shoes at her. She caught them deftly and laid them on the floor. "Maybe. But it's more fun than not having enough. Do you know how to walk in heels?"

Suzumi nodded. "Yeah. It's obviously been a while, but I used to for interviews and stuff."

"Walk around the room in them until you leave so that you can get used to them. I also added cushioning on the inside to reduce the risk of blisters. Now I have one last thing for you. It's from Soryu."

Suzumi looked up from putting on the shoes, surprised. "Soryu?"

Ota nodded. "Yup. Come see." He pulled a box out of the smallest, almost forgotten boutique bag on the table and handed it to the woman.

Opening the box, Suzumi was surprised to see a cell phone and what looked to be a watch inside. The cell phone was a small number, touch screen and a standard black color. When she picked it up, the screen lit up on the lock screen showing a stock photo and the current time. The next piece in the box was odd and upon touching the surface of the face, she realized it was a smartwatch. The face lit up, showing the time and another stock photo as the background.

"What are these for?"

"For you, silly Sora. I think Soryu realized that he should have given you a phone ages ago and went a little overboard. Though, this watch has cool features that could come in handy. They're yours to keep. The bigger pocket in your cheongsam will fit the phone and the watch will fit your wrist. Though he wasn't very creative with the band he choose." Ota frowned at the black band that made up the straps of the watch. "I'll fix that for you soon enough. Read the manuals and walk around while we wait for Soryu. I'm going to clean up my stuff and go. It's almost five thirty."

"I can't believe it's that late already," Suzumi muttered, nose already buried in the watch manual.

"Before you get too distracted, I charged both of those for you and everyone's numbers and emails are programmed into the cell phone. That includes Luke and Haruka. The watch syncs with the phone so you won't need to add or change anything. The password for the phone is your birthday."

Stopping her reading, she picked up the phone again and typed in what was Suzumi Fukari's birthday.

_02 18_

The screen came to life and, after flicking through it quickly, she could see that indeed Ota and the others were already present in the contact book. There was even a text message from Baba asking for a picture of her in her new dress with a winking emoji.

"Thank you, Ota. I really appreciate it." She put down the phone and gave the artist a surprise attack hug. He struggled for a moment, trying to release himself from her arms, but let her after a moment, patting her on the back.

"Enough of that. Read up on your new toys." He shooed her off of him and busied himself with his tools, desperately trying to hide the faint blush on his face.

About fifteen minutes later, as Ota was heading for the door, Soryu came into the suite, frown on his face.

"You're just now leaving?" he asked, loosening his tie.

"Yeah, I had to fight her on some things or I would have been done about half an hour ago," Ota said, grinning. "Wanna see my handiwork?" He didn't let Soryu answer before calling Suzumi into the entrance.

"Ota? I thought you were leaving?"

Immediately, Soryu had to slap on his best poker face. He cast a side glare at Ota, who only let his Cheshire grin grow. Both men were aware of how Soryu's eyes has traveled the length of Suzumi from the special heels to the top of her styled head. How his eyes had grown at the pattern on the cheongsam. And the flush that grew on the back of his neck and to the tips of his ears.

"Oh, good evening Soryu. How was your day?" Suzumi either didn't notice Soryu's reaction or ignored it, greeting him with a small smile. She took a step back, looking between the two with a raised brow. "Am I interrupting?"

"Nope. I'm leaving. See you in a bit!" Ota laughed and left the suite, shutting the door behind him loudly.

The noise of the door seemed to snap Soryu out of whatever trance he'd created for himself and he finally answered her question.

"Suzumi. Today was okay, just a lot of briefing and meetings. I'm going to hurry up and get ready. Are you completely prepared for tonight?" He started walking towards his room, taking off his jacket as he walked. Suzumi followed behind him, taking the jacket from his hands and folding it over her arm.

"I'll put this up. I'm literally just walking around getting used to the outfit now. Go take a shower and such."

"Are you sure? I don't have you here to be a maid," he began.

Suzumi nodded. "It's fine. It will distract me, even if it's just a minute."

When Soryu left his room a short while later, he was fully dressed in a fresh outfit, sans jacket, and toweling his hair dry. When Suzumi looked up from her new watch, she gave a start.

"What's wrong?" He paused on his way to the kitchen to get some water.

She shook her head. "Nothing. You just look so different with your hair down and not slicked back."

"Is that good or bad?" he chuckled before taking a drink from a bottle.

She shrugged. "Just different. I don't mind either. This is something new, though. It's not bad at all." Unconsciously, she reached out to straighten some of the wayward locks. When her eyes met his, she stopped and pulled back as though she had been burned. "Sorry," she muttered.

"It's fine. I'll be wearing it like usual anyway. I rarely leave my apartment with it like this. The suite here included."

"You have an apartment? So you live somewhere other than here?" She cocked her head to the side, trying to imagine it.

Soryu nodded. "It's closer to the office. That time when you first came here, I kept going back there, actually. None of the other auction managers bother me there, so it's quiet. I don't know if they just don't know about it or respect my privacy with this one thing."

Soryu left the room for a few minutes and came back with his hair in its trademark style. He looked over to Suzumi who was in the last place he'd left her; leaning on the kitchen counter, sipping on tea. He looked over to the couch and saw a small rose gold and red clutch purse lying there. It looked as if it hadn't even been touched. Picking it up, he opened it and saw the usual cosmetic items one expected of a purse and a couple hundreds in cash.

"I think Ota meant to give you this as well. Necessary and normal things inside. Do you want to carry this?"

Suzumi took the bag and looked inside. Looking as though she was debating, she waited a moment before taking out the cash, the lipstick, and a small flat mirror. She tossed the bag back on the couch and put the mirror and lipstick in the larger pocket Ota had made for her. She caused Soryu to visibly blush when she hid the cash in her lingerie.

"Contingency," she said, smirking. "No one ever thinks to check the woman's chest."

"What kind of contingency are you planning for?" he asked, a little incredulously.

She shrugged. "Bribes, travel. Just in case. You never know."

"You'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to you," Soryu said, force behind the words. Suzumi was surprised to see a spark light behind his eyes and her eyes widened. "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded. "Whenever you are."

* * *

**A/N:** _Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next time, the moment comes! What do you think is going to happen? Leave me a review with your thoughts!_

_New question this time; Do you play any other Voltage games? Which are your favorites?_

_Stay wonderful, everyone! Next chapter may be a week or two, because it's finals time for me. Until next time!_


	17. The Big Event

_**Author's Note:** Good evening, everyone! Here's a new chapter, like I promised. I'm off school for a week, so hopefully I can get another chapter to you by the end of the week with all my free time. Please remember to check out the Spotify playlist for this story (see my profile), as it has been updated with a few songs!_

_Please enjoy and leave a review!_

_**Disclaimer:** Voltage pretty much owns everything. I own my plot and people like Suzumi and those Soumas._

* * *

You were spoiled rotten and turned stale like all your plans,  
My tongue's acquired tolerance for tastes I couldn't stand...  
...This is not just all in your head,  
Mind over matter makes these things feel so real.

**Mind Over Matter** \- Pvris

**Seventeen.**

The ride in the elevator had been quiet, both Suzumi and Soryu lost in thought. Suzumi tried hard to ignore the scenarios in her mind of what worst-case instances could possibly happen. Her mind raced with the ways she could avoid them and with the ways she ended up losing the game. It sent chills down her spine to think about if she was separated from Soryu. Next to her, Soryu was simultaneously going over the security he'd set up and keeping an eye on the other woman next to him. He could see a shaking in her hands as she held them close to her stomach in an effort to hide it. Almost as if on instinct, he reached out with a hand and took one of hers.

"Are you nervous?"

Looking up in surprise, Suzumi's eyes met his. His slender grey eyes were looking at her, not with pity, but with a patient compassion. His low voice washed over her, making her realize he was absolutely correct and just how much she'd been projecting it. Her hand squeezed his back, keeping a firm hold on it as she brought it to her side between them.

"A little. Just of what could happen, unknowns are frightening little things. I'm not as afraid of Taichi as you think. He's honest about how much of a cruel man he really is, at least."

The elevator dinged their arrival of the lobby floor, cutting off anything else she'd meant to say. As the door opened, Soryu spoke again. "I have a good feeling about tonight, so relax." He stepped out, bringing Suzumi with him by their connected hands. "Put your arm in mine and stay with me. Feel free to eat and drink a little. Just don't go overboard."

Suzumi nodded. "Okay. I trust you." She squared her shoulders and easily slipped her arm in his, hugging it close. "Let's go."

/*\

The room was full, despite the party opening only an hour before. The chandeliers overhead sparkled, dripping in what were probably precious diamonds and crystals, various champagnes and liquors were on nearly every surface, and the room buzzed with the conversation of celebrities and corporate big shots. Suzumi's head spun at the sheer amount of people in the room, their presence pressing down on her. The lights melted together to create a bright halo and the bodies in the room became colorful blurs and it was all she could do to look down and close her eyes against the overstimulation. Soryu noticed her bowed head and pat her arm.

"Deep, even breathing. You'll get used to it in a few minutes. Let me know when you're ready to move on."

It only took her a moment, her nerves steeled and her shoulders straightened. Raising her head, her face was smoothed and smiling. She glanced up at Soryu, whose face remained impassive, but eyes locked on her. "I'll be fine. Probably. Let's walk around."

Ota had come by at some point during their walk around the room full of celebrities. He handed Suzumi a flute of champagne and gave some small talk, ignoring the women who tried to get his attention behind him. He and Soryu discussed the I.V.C. attendees already seen while Suzumi looked around subtly, sipping her drink.

Ayame Narumi, a popular model for makeup and jewelry was chatting up Baba. Next to her, making calf eyes was Akino Kawamitsu, a famous singer. Further in the room, Eisuke was talking with Riki Yanase, a member of the finance ministry known for his looks and smooth deal making. Kishi looked irritated, trying to be inconspicuous along the wall. A rough looking man, aged by trial and greyed prematurely, tried engaging him in a serious conversation, but the lazy cop just stood there, smoking and staring past the man's shoulder.

"Careful, Alice. Don't fall too far down the rabbit hole tonight."

Suzumi managed to quell the need to jump, the voice whispering in her ear smirking. Turning her head, she saw Ota leaning down, his smirk growing. She watched as he straightened himself and bid farewell to Soryu, walking off to mingle in with the other guests. Next to her, Soryu looked out at the crowds, face a mask of indifference with the exception of the slight annoyance in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Soryu?" Suzumi's voice was quiet, her brow furrowed.

He shook his head, glancing her way. "Nothing. It just smells in here."

"Smells?"

"Women wear too much perfume. It's like they were all hosed with every scent out there and all came to the I.V.C. tonight. It's giving me a migraine."

Suzumi chuckled and took another sip of champagne. "You really do hate women."

Soryu hummed. "Most women. Let's head towards the tables and get you something to eat."

Between the two of them, they were able to pick a few things out that were easy and clean to eat for Suzumi in her makeup. Soryu declined any of the offerings, citing his lack of appetite when working. The watch on Suzumi's wrist gave a small chime when eight o'clock hit and in that moment, she could feel something crawl up her spine and settle on her shoulders like a demon. Taking advantage of the pause in conversation directed at her between Soryu and another mob world representative, Suzumi turned slowly and looked over her right shoulder.

Standing near the ice sculpture, drink in hand and thirsty grin on his face, was Ren Souma. Next to him, talking to another man was his large father Taichi. Sucking in a breath, Suzumi fought the urge to whip back around and instead met his eyes for several heartbeats before slowly turning back towards Soryu and the man he was talking to. After he wrapped up the conversation minutes later, Suzumi tugged on his sleeve.

"They're here."

"What do you mean, 'they'?"

"Taichi is here and he brought Ren."

Soryu looked confused for a moment, but that was quickly replaced with a dark look. "Souma didn't say he was bringing a guest and the younger Souma was not on the list."

"Is the guest list always open until the last minute? Can they decide to bring someone if they changed their minds that day?" Suzumi cocked in her head in thought as Soryu lead them on a casual walk around the perimeter. They walked past Kishi, who looked half asleep. But when she looked closer, she could see his eyes follow them for a moment before circling the guests.

"Not usually. We like to vet the people coming in and out of the auctions and even the I.V.C.. The only exception to this would be if the guest has attended before, but just hadn't expressed an interest in showing at this particular one Then they wouldn't have had trouble making it through the door as their credentials would have gone through without concern."

Frowning just a touch, Suzumi bit her lip. "Well, it's too late now. Should we head that way?"

Soryu nodded. "Let's go to that side of the room. Baba is there and Kishi has an eye on them already."

Looking around subtly, she could confirm Soryu's statement with the way Kishi had changed spots in the room and was actively talking with a woman while getting a drink at the other end of the table from the two Soumas. Less than twenty feet from the ice sculpture, Baba was holding court with two new women, both of a famous girl pop duo, facing the men as they talked with what looked like another father and son.

"Drink some water. The night isn't done yet and I don't want to get you drunk here on champagne." Soryu disengaged his arm from hers a moment to get her the drink and handed it over carefully. "How do you feel so far?"

Relishing the cool drink, Suzumi drank her fill and held the glass with both hands. "I'm surprisingly fine. After a moment, like you said, the room was fine. You are right about the perfume. It's very overwhelming. But as a whole, this is fine. I'm even okay with seeing those two. Talking may or may not be another problem." She took a small sip of the drink again and, from the corner of her eye, saw movement. "Speaking of problems, Ren is pointing us out to Taichi and they're coming over now."

"Well, while we wait, did I tell you what I think of that outfit of yours?" Soryu smirked, crossing his arms. He laughed softly at the flush that crawled up her cheeks. "A cheongsam is rather flattering on you. You wear it very well, not everyone can pull it off."

"Thanks," she muttered. "Apparently Ota made it?"

He nodded. "He made it because Eisuke requested it. I told you those two had plans for you. I didn't know what, but now it's pretty obvious."

"What's so obvious?"

"I'll tell you another day. But I do rather like the design on it. Is that a dragon?" His voice was teasing as he looked down at her, eyes narrowed in mirth.

"Soryu Oh! Hope your evening is going well!"

The discussion between the two halted as a large shadow cast between them. Instinctively, Suzumi gripped her glass just a little bit tighter, but realized this and relaxed her hand. In front of her, Soryu was able to put on a mask of polite surprise as he turned to face Taichi Souma and his son Ren.

"Souma. It's good to see you once more. How are you?"

Taichi smiled wide and held his glass up as in salute. "Fine now that I have a good drink and good company." His eyes slid to Suzumi and she wasn't surprised to see a lack of shock on his face. Instead, his small eyes narrowed slightly. "Is this the pet we talked about during the last I.V.C.? I was sad to not meet her last time."

Suzumi bowed politely. "Hello. I'm Suzumi Fukari. It is nice to meet you."

Behind Taichi, Ren frowned. "Are you sure? You look more like a Natsumi." He took a step forward, only to be stopped by his father's arm. Suzumi didn't move an inch.

"I am Suzumi. And you are?"

Ren's face turned red and he huffed. "You know well who I am. I burned it into the flesh of your memory sufficiently."

Suzumi looked down at her glass a moment before smirking. Next to her, Soryu kept his face blank but she could feel a slight amusement come from him. "I'm afraid I don't remember all of the unforgettable people that cross my life. But based on what I hear, you must be Ren Souma."

"You have a pet with attitude. You've not broken that in the last six months, Oh?" Taichi took a pull from his glass and looked at the mobster with feigned disinterest.

Soryu took back Suzumi's arm, tucking it with his and even twining his fingers with hers. "Suzumi is no pet. She does as she pleases because she is my woman. A woman like this doesn't need a leash." He smirked seeing Ren's face become a deeper shade of red and Taichi's eye twitch ever so slightly. "Does she seem like she'd bow down to someone?"

Taichi sighed and with a forced chuckle, pat Soryu on the back. "You need more women in your life. Then you'd know they all need leashes because you can't trust a bitch to run free."

"This one in particular is a snake in the grass," Ren muttered, glaring at her. His glower deepened when he saw she stared back, small smirk on her face and a raised brow. "You'll only end up unsatisfied and perhaps a slit throat."

"I see you survived, though," Soryu observed, eying him dubiously.

Taichi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So you know she and my son were an item once?"

"I know _item_ is the wrong word for what went on, but I know. I know a lot of things. And I will ask that he never lay his hands on what is mine ever again." Soryu's reply was dry and sharp, eyes cold and piercing. The grip he had on her hand tightened and Suzumi reciprocated with her own squeeze.

Ren laughed harshly. "I don't take trash from the side of the road. But clearly you can have mine if you so wish."

Soryu's glare was redirected from the elder Souma to his son. "The next time you wish to speak ill of Suzumi, you may find yourself at the unfortunate end of a gun. At this current point in time, you're talking about the _da jie_ of the Ice Dragons and the woman of the leader. You will show us respect."

Suzumi looked up at Soryu, filtering the phrase _da jie_ in her mind for translation later. It sounded vaguely familiar, but she had to keep her mind focused on the situation at hand. When her eyes met Ren's, she could almost hear the gears turning in his head.

"My apologies, Mr Oh. I wasn't aware of the true position this woman really held. Perhaps you will entertain us with proof of this affection?"

And there was the underworld society training Ren pulled out when he wished. He was usually unpolished and uncouth, but in the right situations, she'd seen him as traditional and upstanding as any high ranking mobster should be.

"Proof?" Soryu frowned, confused at what he'd asked for.

Taichi clapped his hands, rubbing them together as if presented with a feast. "Ah yes. Show us an affirmation of your relationship! I know this is Japan and all, but something small should be fine."

Soryu opened his mouth to argue their request, but was cut off by Suzumi, who whispered his name.

"Soryu?"

When he looked down at her questioningly, he was shocked to find her lips meeting his. World narrowing to the point where their mouths connected, Soryu was unable to concentrate on anything else. As if automatically, his free hand cupped her face and his thumb gently caressed her cheek. He reciprocated the kiss with one of his own, faintly surprised when she didn't pull away and instead met him head on. The thought that ran through his mind as he pulled away to end the small spectacle was she smelled like honey and sweet clover and that he wanted more.

When their eyes met briefly, he could see a hazy look in Suzumi's eyes and something inside him felt extremely satisfied. Absentmindedly, he wiped away the lipstick that had transferred from her lips to his with his thumb as he turned back to the Soumas. He didn't miss the thinly veiled rage now coming from Taichi as well as Ren.

Appearing like a spectre at the most precise moment, Eisuke walked up and looked between the two men. "Souma, Soryu. Good to see you both here enjoying the party! Come find me later, Soryu. Souma, I believe you mentioned wanting to speak with me tonight?" Eisuke's face had on it's jovial businessman mask, which distracted the elder Souma from Suzumi and Soryu.

"Good to see you, Ichinomiya. I did indeed. Come with me, Ren. I want you to learn how to talk business from a man like Eisuke." The more he spoke, the more his color returned to normal. "I have a proposal for you…"

As Eisuke lead the Soumas away from where the two stood, he glanced back and met Soryu's eyes. After a moment, Soryu nodded and looked down at Suzumi. "Do you want to stay here or are you ready to move on to the auction hall?"

"I'm fine with leaving."

He nodded and lead her from the spacious ballroom to the back bar tucked in the back. As they came up to the bartender, she could see that there was a suspicious lack of patrons on this end of the room. When they approached, the bartender barely looked up at Soryu and continued to clean the single tumbler he was working on.

"What can I get for you?"

"A Wildcat," Soryu answered immediately.

The bartender paused in his cleaning to push a hidden button and next to them, the wall covered in mirrors slid open. Soryu ushered her in quickly so they wouldn't be noticed and watched as the wall slid back into place. He let go of her arm and took a step back now that they were alone. They both stood in a room of mirrors and, if she paid attention, she could feel the room slightly shift and move.

"Are you okay?" His voice cut through the silence of the small room and Suzumi looked over to Soryu who was watching her.

"Yes, why?"

He seemed to watch her as she answered, looking for something. When he saw nothing of what he'd been looking for, he nodded to himself. "No particular reason. Besides the fact we just faced the Soumas."

"Oh, that." She wasn't sure what else he would have been referring to, but something inside of her felt the night had been anticlimactic in many aspects. "It wasn't all that bad until the end. I thought they were going to try and goad you into something. I'm surprised you threatened them."

"I didn't threaten," Soryu said, fumbling with the knot of his tie. "I made a concerned comment of a possible future." He seemed embarrassed, but he kept a blush from rising to his cheeks.

"Mmhmm. Anyway, I imagined worse, honestly. So this was okay. Mind over matter, really."

Soryu nodded. "I'm glad."

The room's subtle movement came to a halt, jarring the two of them. In her heels, Suzumi stumbled and fell back into Soryu, who caught her easily. Mumbling a thanks, she straightened herself out and smoothed the cheongsam. "One more bout of the public or are we private now?"

"We have to make our way through the auction hall to the private box. I need to stop behind stage and check in on some of the Dragons who are in charge of things. Do you feel comfortable going to the box alone or do you wish to come with me? It's straight across the aisle and up the stairs until you can't go up anymore."

Suzumi thought about it for a moment. "I can go up. I'll call if I get lost or anything."

"That's fine. You shouldn't come across any trouble down here. No one wants a scene when they're all hiding their identity. Wear this mask." Producing a crimson mask from his breast pocket, Soryu placed it gently on Suzumi's face. Another item made by Ota, it was a simple shape, but stitched with a gold dragon made of crystals and lace along the edge. "Ota should be up there already. He gets bored at these parties quickly."

Nodding, Suzumi smiled. "Okay, I'll see you in a bit." Waving, she started heading through the aisles across the large auditorium. Soryu watched for a moment as a few women stopped her to chat, most complimenting her outfit, before continuing on her path. Heading backstage, he had to find several of his men to confirm the handling of a few items.

Suzumi made it across the auditorium without a problem. She'd spoke to a few women who wanted to know about her dress or her shoes and, after briefly explaining they were custom made by a friend, she had finally made it to a set of stairs hidden behind a pillar. The climb didn't look like much at first, but she'd hardly looked up when they'd first arrived in the sub-basement. Three flights already in her heels had her wishing Eisuke would consider an elevator, or that she'd at least asked about one. Sighing, she stopped when she came across a slightly larger landing. Looking up, she was able to see there were just two more flights before the stairs ended and a blue door became visible.

"Natsumi."

Startled at the sound of a deep voice, Suzumi turned and saw Ren Souma climb the stairs after her. Feeling the color drain from her face, she was thankful that the mask was at least covering a part of her sudden fear.

"What are you doing here? You're not welcome."

Ren reached for her wrist, the same one he'd broken months before, and pulled her close. "Well that's rude. I didn't think that's how I taught you to speak to me."

Trying to tug her arm back, Suzumi frowned. "I can talk to you however I wish. Let me go." Her voice waivered just a touch.

"Natsumi, I don't appreciate the way you've been all over Oh. I don't like sharing toys."

"I am Suzumi. And I am not _yours_." She tugged again and hissed when he twisted her arm. "You were warned about touching things that aren't yours. Let. Me. Go."

"No." He brought her close to him, holding her against his body. "Before this night is done, you will be coming home with me."

"I said let go!" Suzumi kneed Ren and stepped on his foot with her heel. Using his pain as a chance, she employed the self defence Baba and Soryu drilled into her and sent the man over her shoulder and punched him in the face.

"OTA! SORYU!"

Suzumi called out, grabbed the wrists of Ren as he moaned in pain and rolled him onto his belly so that she could sit on his back and keep him from moving. She twisted one of his arms, causing him to squeal in pain.

"Suzumi?"

Above her head, Ota appeared, looking down over the rail. Shock was written across his face as he pulled out his cell phone and began dialing. He started descending the stairs as he spoke. "Soryu. You need to get over to the staircase. Your songbird is now a predator. She caught a little snake. Perhaps you should bring the puppy?" When Ota got to the landing where Suzumi held the young Souma, he began laughing. "This is a great picture. A little woman like you in a cheongsam taking down this fool. Get up, I'll hold him so you don't ruin that dress."

"Suzumi!?"

The two of them looked over to the stairs to see Soryu running up, taking the steps two at a time. Out of breath, the man barely took in the scene before bringing in the woman close to his chest and holding her.

"Soryu?"

"Are you okay? Were you hurt?"

"I-I'm fine. Thanks."

After a moment, Ota cleared his throat to get Soryu's attention. "Soryu, look who it is!"

A dark look passed over Soryu's face as he took in the man on the ground. Letting go of Suzumi, he stepped forward and crouched down to get a closer look. The man was definitely roughed up; face bloodied from what looked like a punch in the nose and curling in on himself as though he'd been injured at his manhood, he knew immediately this was Suzumi's handiwork. He gave the man a few more slaps to the face.

"I told you not to touch." Over his shoulder, he called out, "Inui."

Silently, Inui appeared, coming up the final steps at the request of his boss. Unlike his usual behavior, Inui only looked to Suzumi and nodded before giving his attention back to Soryu. "Boss?"

"Don't kill him. Rough him up a little more, then dump him on some Souma land. Leave a note that says, _This is what happens when you touch what is mine._ This should be easy for you and one of the new kids. Finish it before the auction ends."

Inui nodded once more and tied up the man's arms and legs. Hoisting him up over his shoulder, he started the trek back down the stairs as though he was only carrying grocery bags. Once he disappeared from view and the noise of his shoes quieted, the three finally let out a synchronized breath of relief.

"Well, tonight is certainly interesting," Ota said with a grin. "I'm heading back up. See you two in a minute. I'm going to call Eisuke and tell him what happened."

Left alone, Suzumi and Soryu looked at one another.

"Are you really okay?" he asked, eyes zeroing in on her posture. Unconsciously, she was holding on to her left wrist and rubbing it with her fingers. Reaching out, Soryu gently grabbed her wrist and winced at her flinching. "It hasn't been completely healed? It's been a while now…"

Suzumi shrugged. "Yes and no. It's still tender because it never healed right. He just made the chronic pain flair up a little."

"I'm not a doctor, so I don't know much. But it's starting to bruise, so we'll have Luke look at it later. Did he touch you anywhere else?"

"Uhm…"

"Where did he touch you?"

Suzumi flushed at the sudden show of possession Soryu was showing. Oddly, it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. Inside her mind, she knew why and it wasn't because he'd bought her for a gross amount of cash. She hoped.

"He held me close to him," she whispered, looking up at him and meeting his grey eyes.

He pulled her close, much gentler than Ren had, and held her close to him. She could feel his breath on her neck and ear and he bent down to talk to her.

"Like this?" She could almost feel his lips on her ear as he spoke.

She had to fight the shiver than unconsciously ran through her. "Yeah."

Soryu hugged her closer and she willingly wrapped her arms around his back. The two stayed like that for several moments until footsteps could be heard echoing on the steps below them. They broke apart abruptly and, with a gesture, Soryu indicated they begin the final climb to the private box.

They got to the room less than five minutes before Eisuke, Baba, and Kishi entered. Kishi looked exhausted and headed straight for the chair in the corner. Baba winked at Suzumi and headed for one of the chairs in the second row, sitting next to Ota, and Eisuke walked up to Soryu with a grumpy look on his face.

"What happened."

"Suzumi was attacked by that Souma urchin. She incapacitated him and I had Inui take care of him."

Eisuke looked down at Suzumi, a hint of amusement breaking through his irritated face. "Good. He's not dead, right? I just had to put up with talking to Souma for a half an hour. I don't want to repeat it with an explanation that his son died at my hotel."

"He's not dead. Just in a lot of pain," she said, grimacing. "Soryu made sure to tell Inui not to kill him."

Eisuke blinked. "Good. Auction starts in five."

"Sit, Suzumi. You can see the auction from this side of the stage." Soryu sat and left the chair between himself and Eisuke empty for her. "Look out into the crowd. They can't see us, but we see everything. If you look just there, you can see Taichi Souma. He sticks out in a crowd."

Suzumi indeed saw the large man, sitting about a third of the way back from the stage. The small dog mask he wore did nothing to disguise him. Next to him, he chatted with several blond men, one of them a large purple scar cutting across his cheek and running under the plain blue mask he wore. Frowning, something about the scar rang a bell in her mind, but she couldn't place just where. Something she'd read recently, perhaps.

"Oh! Soryu?"

Soryu turned from his people watching and looked at Suzumi. "Yes?"

"Why did you call me _da jie_?!"

* * *

**A/N:** _So thank you for reading so far! Thoughts? Tell me in a review! Let's see, I'll try to have the next chapter up, if possible, by Thursday since that is my birthday!_

_On a side note, if any of you are Harry Potter fanfiction readers, if you haven't noticed, I have quite an array of those that I've written as well. As it turns out, one of them called _Goddess of Time_ has been nominated for Favorite One-Shot at the Fanatic Fanfic Multi-Fandom Awards this year! So please read it and, starting April 11, vote for it as many times as it lets you until May 2! (Info is in that story)._

_Thanks for always being great readers!_

_itakethewords_


	18. Encore

_**Author's Note:** Hello! Here's a second update this week for you! It's a touch shorter than the last two, but that's because I'm only posting as a treat. You know when it's a kid's birthday in elementary school and they'd bring cupcakes? This is my cupcake for you, since today (April 7) is my birthday!_

_Anyway, please read and enjoy, then leave a review!_

_**Disclaimer:** I only own my characters and plot, Voltage owns the rest_

* * *

_Born in the year of the cat_  
_Taught to fight for what you want_  
_Razed in fire and ash_  
_Tonight there's no turning back_  
_The city screams your destiny_

**Laika** \- Kill Hannah

**Eighteen.**

"Why did you call me the _da jie_ down there?" Suzumi hissed at Soryu. Next to her, Eisuke gave her a side glare at her noise level. Down below, the Mad Hatter was walking on stage and hyping the crowd up with his banter and jovial attitude.

Soryu looked down at her question, avoiding her piercing gaze. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's just a phrase."

"I know what it means. I speak Chinese, remember. Why would you call me the _old lady_ of the Ice Dragons?!"

Baba let out a laugh, eavesdropping in on their not so private conversation. "He called you his old lady? Well, that's an interesting turn of events…" He smirked behind his hand, pretending to bite back a smile. Next to her, Soryu's frown deepened and a faint hint of color appeared in his ears.

"Wait… Does it mean something I don't understand?" Suzumi looked between the grimacing Soryu and the grinning thief.

Behind her, Eisuke replied in a bored tone. "It means Soryu basically called you his wife."

"What?!"

"Do you hate that?" Ota asked, casting a side glance her way as he split his attention between the stage the the other occupants in the box. There was a teasing lilt in his voice.

Kishi let out a puff of smoke, not breaking his eyes from the event below. "Hear that, Oh? She's offended."

Panicking, Suzumi swiveled her body to look back at Soryu, who was busy trying not to make eye contact with her. Around her, the amusement was tangible from the other auction managers. "I'm not offended! Soryu! I'm just surprised!"

There was a moment of silence in the box, though she could feel everyone's eyes on both her and the mob boss. Soryu turned his head to eye her, face a mask she recognized that he used when he was hiding his actual thoughts. She watched his eyes with apprehension, afraid she'd hurt his feelings in some way or another. His eyes didn't necessarily show hurt, but she did sense them sizing her up in some form. Soryu coughed into his hand and nodded, turning back to the auction down below.

"That's fine. Watch the auction, see what kinds of things sell and for how much. You were the last item for bid when you were sold, so you probably missed everything else and didn't see how anything worked from that cage."

Suzumi nodded and, glaring at Kishi, looked down at the brightly lit stage. There was what looked to be a golden goblet of some kind on a pedestal center stage as the Mad Hatter fostered a bidding war between three separate patrons. Others in the crowd were eagerly whispering amongst themselves as the smile grew on the Hatter's face as the price climbed higher and higher. Eventually, it ended at four million dollars.

Turning to Eisuke, she asked, "What kind of items sell the best?"

He glanced at her a moment before turning back to the stage. "The rarer it is, the more one of a kind the item, the more it sells for. Also, the more people talk and gossip about it, the more people want it."

"I find a lot of the older collectible items when I go to jobs," Baba added, leaning closer to whisper to Suzumi. "I found that goblet in the ruins of an abandoned castle in Wales. It's rumored that King Arthur drank from it."

"Are you sure it's legitimate though?"

"That's where I come in." Ota leaned forward and, resting his elbow on his thigh, put his chin in hand. "I can tell the authenticity of the items. That cup is genuine from the fifth century. Though whether Arthur really drank from it, I have no idea. That's just the rumor in Wales that Baba picked up when he was there." His eyes darted to the stage. "Oh look, this painting is one I put up."

Suzumi turned her attention back once more to the stage and gasped. "You put up a Van Gogh? Where did you get that?!"

Ota shrugged. "Bought it a couple years ago here at an auction. But I'm bored with it." Ota leaned back in his seat and turned his attention back to the stage.

Suzumi turned full back around in her seat and watched the crowd get hyped over the appearance of _The Church at Auvers_. The bidding started out with more than twenty people at fifty thousand dollars, but quickly climbed in price and dropped bidders. Any of those hoping for a cheap steal were quickly cast aside as the price jumped into the million dollar range within a minute. At one point, she saw Taichi place a bid, but it seemed to be a passing whim, as he didn't bid past his three million cast. Eventually, a women in emerald green and a rainbow mask won with a ten million, five thousand dollar bid.

"Good. That's nearly three times what I paid," Ota said behind her, sounding pleased.

The auction continued and, eventually an item came up that made Suzumi pause.

"Top secret documents from Russia? You guys will even sell that?"

Eisuke crossed his arms and grinned. "Anything is for sale here. Anything but humans."

"What if that's something seriously bad though?"

"We hold the items for verification and security. In that time, we hold the right to read through documents if we so choose. We hold trust with patrons seriously, so they know we don't do anything with the information if we choose at random to read them. We wouldn't let a terrorist attack happen, but if they're just trading finance secrets or blackmailing one another, that's none of our business and they can sell that if they want." Soryu turned to give Suzumi and better answer.

"Did you guys look through these?"

Soryu shook his head. "We glanced at the pages but none of us speak Russian all that well. Just bits and pieces. It read harmless enough from what we did understand. What?" He cocked his head when he saw her frown angrily.

"Why didn't you ask me to read through them? I could have helped you guys with that."

"No. You have nothing to do with the workings of the auctions." Eisuke interjected, face serious.

"But-"

Soryu shook his head again, a frown growing. "He's right. You're not an auction manager and it has nothing to do with you."

Suzumi let out a harsh laugh. "My life is the auctions. You're all smart men, why wouldn't you utilize a tool when you have it? I don't give a shit what's being sold as long as it doesn't involve millions dying. Sell your stolen artifacts and artwork. Auction a damn kidney for all I care. But if someone you know who's right under your nose can read top secret documents that you can't, use them!"

"Enough." Eisuke's voice rose over hers, his cool mask breaking slightly. "Keep quiet or you can leave. If you're going to act petulant like a child, you don't need to be with the adults and you can leave." His tone left no room for arguments and for a moment, Suzumi shrunk in on herself at his anger.

"Suzumi, you don't need to be involved." Soryu spoke from her other side, taking her shoulders and spinning her to watch the auction again.

"No." She slapped his hands away and stood. "I'm told to leave so I will."

Stalking to the box door, she ignored Soryu and Baba who called for her to come back and slammed the door shut on her way out. The stairway down was as empty as ever as she took the steps quickly, not caring that she was in heels. Someone's voice, she wasn't sure who's, called her name from above her, but at the first flight, she wasn't able to discern who. She ignored the call and left the stairway and took the back aisle through the auction hall and to the room with the mirrors. When she shut the door, the room began to move like before and she was left with her own reflection for company as it took her back to the I.V.C..

Surrounded by reflections of herself, Suzumi could see a woman she barely recognized. Svelt in crimson silk, the cheongsam gave her a sophistication and sensual allure she didn't think she'd ever had in her entire life. She suddenly hated the makeup that painted her face and had to resist the urge to wipe it off then and there. Eisuke's words rang in her ears and, for a second, she really did feel like a child. She ignored her reflection until the mirrored room stopped and she was able to leave, passing the still-present bartender and the plentiful celebrities drinking Eisuke's money.

The path to the elevator leading to the penthouse was surprisingly clear, the I.V.C. attendees seemed to almost clear a path for her. Unsure if it was because of the aura she was giving off, anger and gloom with a dash of pity, she ignored the looks she was getting and left the large room for the hotel lobby. On the way to the elevator, Suzumi saw Haruka talking to Kenzaki at the front desk. Pausing to turn and head in that direction, she found herself tugged back and a hand put over her mouth. Behind her, a voice growled in her ear,

"You'll keep quiet and you'll come with me without a fuss. I won't hesitate to snap your pretty little neck."

Entire body frozen, it was all Suzumi could do to nod minutely. She could feel the barrel of a gun pressed into the small of her back when the hand was removed from her face. The hand on her left wrist squeezed once and began leading her out of the main doors of the Tres Spades. Given the gun the man had and his threat to kill her, she didn't think he'd hesitate to shoot any of the others in the lobby and took a chance with going with him quietly like he asked. She had no doubts at who had sent him to fetch her.

The night outside the hotel was muggy, the late summer air was thick with humidity. The lights of the hotel and the streets lit the late night. Immediately, her back began to sweat more and she was forced to walk towards a luxury car waiting at the valet. Unceremoniously, he shoved her in the backseat and climbed in behind her, gun never leaving her direction. Taichi Souma and Ren Souma were both already there, sitting in the seats facing her. The elder man sat pensive, staring out of the window at the Tres Spades and the younger held bandages to his nose, obviously swollen with dried blood crusting on his face, and glaring at Suzumi's bewildered and frightened form.

No one spoke in the car, she refused to be the first. Instead, she kept one eye on the Soumas and the other on the man with the gun. Now sitting next to him, she could see his was out of the ordinary. In fact, he was the blond man that Taichi had been talking to in the auction hall. Scarred face and all. She took in his features and thought back to the way he spoke and realized that he was Eastern European, more than likely Russian. In her anger at the auction managers, she never did see who won the Russian documents, but she'd bet all her meager possessions that the mob boss sitting across from her was the winner. The car weaved through traffic smoothly and left the Odaiba island and headed towards Nakameguro, confusing Suzumi. _Why there?_

Surprisingly, their final destination had them stopping along the river's edge. Given the time of year, there was no hanami. The flowers and trees had bloomed months ago. Strangely, there were no couples walking along the riverbank, no singles drinking by themselves, and no delinquents causing a ruckus. The area looked to be completely abandoned from her car window. Finally, after sitting in the now stationary car for nearly twenty minutes, Taichi spoke.

"I don't appreciate you attacking my son. I find it irritating that you managed to apparently sleep your way to the head of the Ice Dragons. And it is most definitely shocking that you managed to survive an apparent drowning in Tokyo Bay like I had ordered. Those two have been dealt with accordingly, of course. I don't need greedy subordinates…"

Suzumi opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off.

"You will keep your mouth shut unless I say otherwise."

"I wouldn't have had to punch your son if he didn't attack me first," she said, ignoring his sharp tone.

Taichi clicked his tongue and glanced to the blond man, nodding once. Suzumi suddenly saw stars, accompanied by a ringing in her ear. It took her a moment to realize that she'd been smacked in the head and that the force had sent her head against the window closest to her. She let out a small hiss of pain, but kept her watering eyes open to glare at the large man.

"As I said. Keep your mouth shut. I can't drown you in the Bay, Oh will find you too quickly and it's in his backyard. Instead, I've brought you to the Meguro river inland. Unfortunately, your death will not be poetic as it would have been in April. But I think the sight of your body floating down the river will be enough.

"I planned on using you in my plans in Kyoto. But you knew too much and you told the Ice Dragons what you heard in our household and Shiga had to be scrapped completely. You've become a headache. You are a nuisance. I can't trust Ren to leave you alone if I send you to Kyoto," he glared at his son, who sat petulantly in his seat next to his father. He ignored his glare and stared out the window. "So instead, I will not only get rid of you and the problems you bring, but I will also be able to start the deconstruction of the Ice Dragons and that useless man Soryu Oh. You look like you have something to say?"

Suzumi glared and crossed her arms. She pressed the side button that speed dialed contacts in her phone on her gifted watch and hid it under her forearm. "Start the deconstruction? I hope you don't mean that's going to happen by killing me?"

Souma laughed with derision. "No. You and I both know you're not that self-centered to believe that. No, you would be the first card in his house to fall. A mere pawn. I acquired the documents and partnerships needed to ruin the Ice Dragons tonight and once you're out of the way, I don't have to worry about anymore surprises."

"You mean your partnership with the Russians? The Bratva? We already know."

"What?!"

For the first time since entering the car, the man with the gun spoke. He was surprised and upset, glaring at both Suzumi and Taichi.

"What does she mean? Explain."

Taichi's face turned dark, contemplating her words. "I don't believe you. That would have been an easy deduction given our friend here. What do you know?"

Suzumi's eyes narrowed. "I'm not telling you anything. Needless to say, I know everything, and, if I've guessed correctly, I even know what's in those documents you bought."

"You're bluffing."

"Am I?"

He sat there, breathing heavier than normal. His hands gripped his knees, knuckles turning white. After a moment, he relaxed and leaned back in his seat.

"It doesn't matter. You're still dying tonight. The real question is, does Ren want to have his final swan song with you? I'm willing to give my heir this if he wants. Ren?"

"Father?"

"Would you like to say goodbye to your Natsumi before I pull the curtain on her dramatics?"

Ren nodded, pulling away the bandages to show his broken nose. The area above and around his mouth was stained and encrusted with his own blood, all framing his curled lips. His eyes, dark and deep as the months she'd spent in her little room with him, were emptier than ever before. Involuntarily, Suzumi shuddered and sat farther back in her seat.

"There's no use leaning back. You should be used to it all by now. The hospitality Ren gave you before, these last six months you spent catering to Oh. This should be nothing for you. Though I can't guarantee how gentle Ren will be." Taichi smiled cruelly and looked out towards the riverbank. "Ren, go rut in the trees. But make it quick. I'd like to get home before sunrise and it's past midnight. Grisha, stand guard. Shoot her when he's done and dump her in the river."

The man next to Suzumi, Grisha, nodded once and opened the car door, dragging her out. They were followed by Ren, who tossed his bandages to the floorboards and slammed the car door. The noise echoed throughout the empty park and was accompanied by the echoed footfalls of the three. She couldn't help but to compare this bizarre walk like one towards a firing squad from the older days. Normally, a walk along a river would have been peaceful, but she felt anything but that. Just feet from the quiet waters and she was trapped with a petulant grown man who thought he was still a teen and a Bratva member who didn't seem to care who he shot so long as he was paid. It was hard to describe the exact emotion she was feeling in that moment. Fear was certainly a factor. As was determination and the fighting spirit she'd regained in the last several months. There was also hope. Hope that the ridiculous watch on her arm had made a connection with one of the auction managers and that they'd heard where she was and who she was with.

"I'll stay here. Do what you got to do," said Grisha, stopping at the beginning of a copse of trees, crossing his arms. He kept his gone in one hand still, but turned to look at the river to afford what must have been a sense of privacy. Ren mock saluted the man and roughly grabbed Suzumi by her wrist. He tried dragging her beyond the trees, but her body locked and she dug in her heels.

"No!"

"You don't have a choice. You're mine until death, you little bitch." Ren twisted her arm up, causing her to rise to her tip toes and sway. Her body cried out against her will at the pain involved and she reached out to shove him off with her free hand.

"Get off me!" She tried to kick outward, but the cheongsam hindered the movement in her legs and she came up short. The movement sent her swaying and she saw an opportunity. Raising her free hand again, she used the momentum to punch Ren in the face again, successfully getting him to release her.

"Fucking bitch!" Grabbing at his once more bleeding face, Ren bent over to nurse his wound. Surprised at the sudden attack, Ren flung her away from him in an attempt to keep her from a third punching attempt.

Unable to keep her balance between the red heels she was wearing and the soft turf of the park, Suzumi teetered on the edge of the riverbank, flailing in order to keep her balance. Closing her eyes, she realized that she was about to fall in the river regardless and relaxed her body for the impact of the water. When it didn't come, she opened her eyes to see a hand had grabbed her wrist and was keeping her on land.

"Suzumi? Are you okay?"

Soryu looked down at Suzumi, worry etched on his face. He pulled her back into a standing position and pulled her close to him. Looking around his arm, Suzumi could see that Samejima and two other Ice Dragons had knocked Ren to the ground and were tying him up. The Russian Bratva man was gone, almost as if he hadn't been there in the first place. When she looked towards the edge of the park, she didn't see the car they had arrived in. The spot was vacant, but other spots on the street had a few cars. One had Eisuke Ichinomiya leaning against the hood, arms crossed and a cool expression on his face. Next to him was Ota, hands on his hips and a smirk on his lips. Another car had Inui near the passenger door, looking on in worry. The third car had Kishi and an unknown man getting out. The light on the top clicked in her mind and Suzumi realized that Kishi was in job mode and that he'd brought other police officers.

"Soryu?" she asked, looking up. Her eyes met his and she suddenly felt embarrassed. Looking down, she hid her face in his jacket. "What's happening?"

Soryu put one hand on the top of her head and gave her a pat. "Kishi and the other police are going to arrest Souma. It looks like his father ran off, though. Was it just the two of you and Taichi this entire time?"

"No… You didn't see the other man? He was Bratva…"

She could feel Soryu stiffen around her automatically, but he relaxed after a moment.

"Hmm, well it's just you and Ren now. And he's lucky I don't shoot him on sight. Are you ready to go?" Suzumi didn't miss how his hand twitched near the pocket where he usually kept his gun and how he had to slowly move it back to his side.

Shyly, she pulled away slightly from his embrace and reached out for his hand. When he didn't pull it away, she twined her fingers with his and kept her eyes trained on the grass. "Let's go, please?"

Soryu nodded and they began walking away from the river's edge and towards the car where Eisuke and Ota waited. When they arrived, Soryu opened the back door and gestured for her to climb in. After a moment of hesitance, she slid in all the way and watched as Soryu followed behind her. Ota climbed into the front passenger seat and Eisuke got behind the wheel. The inner furnishings of the car were twice as nice as the ones in the Souma car and immediately she knew it was Eisuke's. Who else would have top quality leather and their own initials embossed on the seats.

"Are you okay, Suzumi?" Ota asked, turning around to face the two in the back. She only nodded and Ota left it at that, turning back around in his seat.

The half hour ride back to the Tres Spades, Suzumi kept her eyes on the hands she and Soryu had entwined together. He didn't attempt to break the connection or to scoot further from her in the seat. He stayed right next to her, thigh against thigh, arm against arm, and left their hands to rest in her lap. She could feel his eyes on her during the silent ride and the once or twice that she sneaked a glance upward to peek, she could see a most complex look on Soryu's face.

She wasn't sure what to call it, but she was sure that it resembled her own in that moment.

In the front seats, Ota and Eisuke shared a look, but kept silent.

* * *

**A/N:** _Until next time! Let me know your thoughts in a review!_

_I had some people ask me on AO3 some questions, like where _da jie_ came from and stuff. I actually quite often reference the sub stories and special stories from KBTBB. _Da jie_ comes from the sub story, Drunk In Love: Soryu. I've also been referencing characters from my other favorite games. Can you guess which games?_

_Best,_

_itakethewords_


	19. Worth the Trouble

**Author's Note:** _So. This was probably the longest you've all had to wait for a new chapter in a while. Did I spoil all of you? Sorry about that. I have really hard classes this term so I actually have to try. That and I found myself at a crossroads for how this story could go. I almost went the wrong way, a way I didn't want to go. I had to get rid of it all and start the chapter over because I didn't like what was happening. But here's a new chapter. Please enjoy and leave a review when you're done!_

**Disclaimer:**_ I own Suzumi and my own characters, Voltage INC owns the rest._

* * *

Your mind and heart at war  
And they thrash inside your lips  
Like an arrow passing through  
Your tongue can kill or it can kiss

**Calm My Soul **\- Paper Route

**Nineteen.**

Suzumi didn't give much attention to her surroundings during the drive back to Odaiba and the Tres Spades. It came as a surprise to her when she found herself in the elevator to the 51st floor with three of the auction managers, surrounded by a stiff silence. Somewhat detached, she realized that she was experiencing a crash of adrenaline and that the gravity of her situation was smashing into her like a wrecking ball. Her body shivered involuntarily.

Eyes sharp as ever, Eisuke looked down towards her at the movement and frowned. "Soryu, we won't need you tonight. We'll recap tomorrow before you go to the Ice Dragons' office."

She could feel his eyes search her over, looking for something, but instead, she ignored his gaze and pretended she didn't see the furrow in his brow. Next to her, Soryu still held her hand, keeping her close to his person. His face was set as stone, with little emotion showing and eyes staring out at the glass windows and into the bay. On her other side, Ota stood furiously tapping away at his phone with a serious look of concentration. Between the rising apprehension in her chest and the intense faces of the men around her, Suzumi felt an overwhelming disappointment geared towards herself.

The elevator slowed to a stop and, with a quiet _ding_, the doors opened and Eisuke was the first to exit. Ota followed behind the businessman, still furiously tapping on his phone and not bothering to look up, both heading towards the penthouse. Soryu led Suzumi out of the elevator by their connected hands and stopped several doors before the penthouse at their suite. Wordlessly, he used his keycard to open the door and brought the both of them into their home.

"Sit on the couch, I'm going to make tea," Soryu said, gently letting go of her hand and pointed to the sitting area.

Suzumi shook her head. "No, let me. No offense, but you might burn the water." She smiled small and walked past him into the kitchenette. "I'll have it ready soon."

"Suzumi, you don't need to force yourself-"

"I'm not forcing anything. I'm capable of boiling water for some tea. Go sit." She turned away from him and began the preparations for their drinks.

Instead of taking her advice, Soryu stayed in the doorway to the kitchen, watching her methodical movements. Arms crossed, he leaned against the door frame. "Why are you so calm? Did you expect this to happen?"

She sighed. "Actually, I'm not calm at all. I think I've been in shock, but the adrenaline is wearing off." She continued to prepare the tea leaves as the water boiled on the stove. His eyes traveled down to her hands and he could see that they were shaking slightly. "Panicking and crying isn't going to get me anywhere. If I made a scene, who knows what would have happened to me. I was in the lobby when the Russian man grabbed me and I didn't want to involve any of the guests while we were at the hotel."

Pouring water into the mugs, Suzumi steeped the leaves and added milk to hers. A little milk splashed out of the cup and onto the counter with her shaking hands. Soryu frowned and took the milk from her and gently pushed the mugs to the side, taking one of her hands in his. She sighed and avoided eye contact, focusing her gaze on the drops of milk on the granite counter.

"I almost died again. I'm starting to wonder if I'm not meant to make it out alive," she whispered.

"That's not acceptable." Suzumi felt her chin jerked up and she found herself forced to look Soryu in the eye. He didn't remove his fingers from her chin. "I won't let you think that way. I don't think I've said this, but you're an amazing woman. Nothing happened tonight because _that_ was meant to be."

"Soryu, I… I'm nothing but trouble."

"I wouldn't have come for you if you weren't worth the trouble, Suzumi."

There wasn't a warning, not one that Suzumi had discerned. One moment, she'd been staring at Soryu's dark eyes, trying to figure out why his voice was so passionate as he spoke, and the next she found her lips engaged with his. Reflexively, she snapped her eyes shut and gasped at the sudden kiss and Soryu took to opportunity to hesitantly lick at her bottom lip. Feeling a flush crawl up her neck and in her cheeks, Suzumi couldn't help but to respond with the movement of her own lips. As she kissed him back, Soryu moved his hand from her chin to her cheek, cupping it gently as his other hand migrated to her waist to pull her closer to him. The warmth of his hand permeated through the silk of her dress and she instinctively brought her body against his, her hands coming up to fist the material of his shirt. Lips molding against Soryu's, Suzumi sighed into the kiss and, after feeling a second swipe, opened her mouth wider for him. Lost in the feeling, she was disoriented when he pulled away and opened her eyes slowly.

"Soryu…?"

* * *

"Ota? Eisuke?" Baba looked up from his phone, watching the two men walk into the penthouse lounge. The former pocketed his cell phone and looked at the thief with a smirk and the latter stormed to the staircase leading to the 52nd floor.

"This is getting serious. No more playing around," Eisuke spit out, heading up the stairs.

"What happened with Suzumi?" Baba asked.

Ota crossed his arms and stood in front of Baba. "She was taken to the Meguro river. She was smart to call us. I'm glad I had her look up how to use that watch."

"Was it that bad, what was happening?"

Ota lost his smirk. "Yeah. I don't know what would have happened if we'd been five or ten minutes later."

"So this favor you were texting me about…" Humming, Ota's grin came back, sending a chill down Baba's spine. It was far colder than any he'd seen from the 'angelic artist' in quite some time. "Ota?"

"I need you to steal those Russian papers that were sold tonight."

"Wait, have they even been delivered?"

"Yeah. They were almost an instant pick up. I don't think I have to say who bought them?"

Baba shook his head. "No… But does Eisuke know this is a plan of yours?"

"I didn't. But I also don't care. If you can, take them back, Baba." Eisuke stood halfway down the stairs, cell phone in one hand and a manila folder in the other. "I would prefer if it happened quietly without incident. But I can have Soryu send men in for backup if you need it."

"Really? You approve?" Ota's eyes widened. "I didn't think you'd agree with me on this."

"No one goes behind my back and tries to deconstruct what I've built. I've put a lot of work into the Ice Dragons influence and I won't have it."

"Boss, can't you just say you don't want the guy messing with your friends?" Baba stood and took off his hat, smirking.

Eisuke didn't smile at the joke, but didn't deny the sentiment. "Whatever you need, let me know. Come to me if you need Soryu. Or maybe that puppy of his if you can find him." Baba met Eisuke at the bottom of the stairs and took the offered folder from the younger man, briefly thumbing through the pages to see the location of Taichi's residence.

"Something is happening," Ota said, brows furrowed in worry. "What little we did hear of that conversation Suzumi had with that creep, it sounds like it's gotten bigger than we realized. More than that human trafficking thing Soryu put down in Kyoto a while ago."

"Agreed." Eisuke's frown deepened. "I hate to say it, but I think I underestimated her. All that work she's been doing for Soryu, she knows things. She mentioned the Bratva and I don't think Soryu knows anything about that. That's a little more serious than just child's play with a rival gang. International mafia play by a whole new set of rules." He paused, letting his words sink in. The two other men shifted where they stood, anxious to hear what Eisuke had deduced. "Perhaps I should have let her look at those documents."

Ota let out a breathy laugh. "It's rare to see you admitting you were wrong."

Eisuke shook his head, but smirked. "I'm not wrong, I just didn't realize Soryu would train his bird to keep secrets. I knew she was proficient in language, but had no idea until the other day that she knew Russian. And I'm pretty sure Soryu doesn't know about her Bratva revelations, either." There was a silence that followed, ringing throughout the cavernous room.

"I'm leaving. I'm going to get ready and try to get into the Souma stronghold sometime in the morning. There will be too many yakuza there at night and I need to scout. I'll call if I need anything." Baba, switching to work mode, gave a wave and strode out of the lounge and shut the large door with a click.

"Won't Souma have read those documents by morning?" Ota asked, taking a seat on the couch. Eisuke followed suit, sitting in what was designated as his chair. Crossing his legs, he glanced at Ota before opening the laptop sitting on the coffee table.

"More than likely. Though I assume that Mamoru arresting his son may give him some delay. But even if he does read them, having them disappear so that he can't reference them or use them liberally will help." Eisuke's smirk grew as he typed away on his computer.

"You look extremely satisfied with yourself, Eisuke. It's a little terrifying right now." Ota gave him a side glance and inched away.

"Don't tell Soryu, but I made copies of those papers. I have them here in my laptop. I'm printing them out for us to read now."

Ota laughed. "Oh man. So Baba…"

"Baba is doing something important, just like I said. I had more instructions for him in that folder. There will be plenty fruits to that labor."

"So what do the documents say?"

Eisuke clicked his tongue, glaring. "I don't speak Russian fluently, unfortunately. These are going to Suzumi in the morning. I want her to read them and explain what she knows and the connection it has to whatever is in these papers."

"What if she says no?"

Eisuke let out a laugh. "She won't say no. She'd do anything for Soryu and Soryu will let her do just about anything if it makes her happy. The seriousness of the situation calls for her skills and Soryu's connections."

Ota looked deep in thought for a moment. "Connections? You mean that Russian man he had visiting a few years ago?" Eisuke nodded. "Good call. How do you always remember these things?"

"I'm Eisuke Ichinomiya. Did you forget who you're talking to?"

/*\

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that…" Soryu took a step back from Suzumi and turned to look away from her.

"Soryu? Why…?" Suzumi, frozen in place, let her wide eyes bore into Soryu. Taking the flush of his face and the aura of shame he gave off, she tried to slow her racing heart.

"That was terrible of me to do. I should leave," Soryu mumbled, ignoring her and turning to head towards the door. He was only able to take two steps before he felt Suzumi's arms wrap around his back, her warmth transferring to his back. Her smaller arms were barely able to reach all the way around and he found himself automatically resting his hands on hers.

"Please don't go."

Soryu sighed at the sound of her voice, slightly muffled from her face buried in his jacket.

"Why are you trying to run away?"

He sighed again, letting out a deep breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. He squeezed her hand gently and closed his eyes. "That was wrong of me. To kiss you like that. I surprised you, forced myself on you. I'm the worst. That's not the kind of man I am."

There was a pause.

"You didn't force me, Soryu."

Unable to hid his shock, Soryu turned to face Suzumi and looked down into her face. Wringing her hands nervously, she tried looking away from Soryu, but kept glancing back at him. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment and nerves. He thought she made a charming sight, the look of innocence in her face he rarely saw and the cheongsam contrasting with a mature aura he'd been ignoring for some time now.

"If you'd tried much else, yeah I probably would have hit you or something as a reflex. But I didn't hate kissing you." She looked up from her hands and met his eyes with her own, a look of determination set on her face. Soryu stared at her, mouth agape and hands hesitating to touch her, hovering near her shoulders. "Why did you do it, Soryu?"

Soryu let out a breath and rested his hands on her shoulders. Pulling her close, he hugged her gently. "Women are nothing but trouble. I decided you were worth the trouble." His voice whispered in her ear, his breath warm, sending a shiver down her spine. If he noticed, he gave no indication. "You surpass any expectation I could have for a woman in my life. I am amazed at your audacity and bravery. You work hard, the Ice Dragons adore you, and you're not afraid to put up with me."

Pulling back, he looked at Suzumi's face again, seeing the flush still on her face and her eyes wet with unshed tears. A smile formed at his lips and he pressed his lips on her forehead. "Why are you crying? Does this make you unhappy?"

"No," she bit her lip. "It's just been a long time since I've heard nice things like that said about me." Sighing, she closed her eyes and hid her face in Soryu's chest.

He could feel her tears break in the material of his shirt, the dampness spreading. Smile growing a little more, Soryu tightened his arms around her and embraced her as he allowed her to cry. In the six months that she'd lived with him at the Tres Spades, he was sure that she had had her fair share of crying moments. Most were probably in her room, alone. Perhaps a few with Luke as they'd talked and she'd been examined. And the one time her frustrations had come to fruition in the form of wet eyes when she'd demanded to come to the auctions and face Souma. But this was the first time he'd truly seen her cry and the first time she'd allowed him to see her so weak. In this moment here with her, Soryu realized that he had fallen deeply. He was in love with this woman who constantly had him worried, who made him smile and laugh, who used her sharp mind and barbed memories to gain the upper hand on enemies.

In the six months he'd known her and watched her grow into Suzumi and away from her old persona of Natsumi, he'd seen very little weakness from her. He knew that she had weaknesses, everyone did. But she'd been so determined to be brave in the face of the men who had bought her, in the dangers that had come from her unfortunate circumstances, Soryu rarely had a chance to see them. She had a temper, was incredibly stubborn, and was a terrible cook. It all paled compared to her smile and her heart.

Eventually, Suzumi calmed down enough to pull away from Soryu's chest. Eyes swollen, she glanced back up at him, grimacing. "Sorry about your shirt. I think I've ruined it."

Soryu pat her head gently, looking down at her with a soft smile. "That's fine. It's just a shirt. Let's get changed for the night. I need to call Luke about your wrist. It's swollen." His hands lifted her left wrist and they could both see the swollen joint and faint bruising left behind from the rough treatment it got from Ren throughout the night.

Suzumi nodded. "I'm going to go take a shower…" Taking a step back, she brought her injured wrist to her chest. "Thank you, Soryu." She walked off towards her room before he could get another word in, quietly closing her door.

Soryu waited until he heard the water run in the bathroom before pulling out his cell phone. He wasn't sure where Luke was, he hadn't been in the private viewing room and he'd only caught a glimpse of him at the I.V.C. when he'd been talking to another underground leader. The doctor had been talking with Eisuke, a reluctant look on his face. No doubt the man wanted to leave and return to his room to read his texts and Eisuke was setting him straight. Sighing, he dialed his old friend's number.

"Soryu."

"Luke. Are you free?"

"You want me to check on Suzumi? I heard there was some commotion tonight."

"How did you-"

"Ota texted me a little while ago. I wanted to wait until you contacted me just in case you actually needed me."

"If you could. Preferably tonight, but if you can't, morning will work too."

"I'm finishing going over my surgeries Eisuke sold in the auction. When I'm finished, I will come by. I will let you know when I'm done."

Finished with the call, Soryu tossed his phone onto the couch and continued his walk towards his own bedroom. The night had already been long, it was probably close to four in the morning, but he didn't want to leave Suzumi's wrist untreated. There was a good chance he wouldn't get much sleep before Eisuke would want to see him for post-auction reports, and then he had to meet with the Ice Dragons for the usual daily activities. Changing into some more casual clothes, Soryu toyed with the idea of pushing back certain meetings, but realized that the night's activities called for immediate action on the Ice Dragons' part. He had to warn his men of any actions that might be taken against them as well as what transpired.

Padding back into the kitchen, Soryu cleaned up the mess left behind from the forgotten tea and quickly brewed some coffee instead. The caffeine was much needed and the bite it afforded would help clear his mind. As he poured, he could hear Suzumi shuffling around in her room, muttering to herself and smiled. His first sip was accompanied by the sound of her door opening and her shadow moving into the living room.

Gathering his cup and the cup he had made for her, he headed into the living room and sat the drink in front of her before sitting next to her on the couch. The woman was curled up in her lounge wear, file of interceptions on her lap and notebook on her other side. She glanced up at him and murmured a quiet thanks, eyes drifting back to the papers in front of her.

"Luke will be here when he's done with Eisuke. Are you sure it's a good idea to be doing work with your wrist hurt again?"

"Yeah it will be fine. I'll just be extra careful. It's lucky that I'm right handed." She glanced Soryu's way again and smiled.

Soryu sighed. "Why don't I believe that?" He reached out and gently held her left wrist.

"Soryu?"

"You can keep working, I'm going to make sure you don't hurt yourself more."

His fingers from one hand held her as if she were made of glass while the other massaged the bruises. Goosebumps rose on her skin and he could hear her let out a breath.

"Do you not like this?"

Suzumi shook her head. "No, I don't dislike it," she whispered. Her eyes followed the path Soryu's fingers made on her wrist and palm.

"Then why are you making that face?"

"What face?"

He paused in his movements. "Like you want to cry."

Suzumi brought her free hand to her face, feeling only the flush of her cheeks. There were no tears.

"No, your eyes. I don't want to make you cry. Maybe I should stop…"

She shook her head. "No, don't. I don't want you to stop."

Soryu began his ministrations again, keeping eye contact with Suzumi as he did. Watching her, he could see the flush in her cheeks grow deeper and the way her lips parted as if trying to find more air. He chuckled softly and squeezed her wrist lightly. "Relax. Work on your translations."

"I think we both know I'm not going to accomplish anything there," she sighed, smirking. She gathered the materials with her free hand and tossed it to the table in front of her. "Is it okay for you to be awake? You have a lot to do in the morning, Soryu." She grabbed the mug of coffee Soryu had made earlier and took a sip.

"This wouldn't be the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last. I would rather stay up for Luke to arrive. But you've had a full day. Why don't you sleep for a bit?"

As if on cue, Suzumi yawned, covering her mouth with her free hand. She glared over her palm at Soryu, who grinned at the sight. "I don't know…"

"Come here."

Suzumi looked at him skeptically. "What's gotten into you?"

Sighing, Soryu rubbed the back of his neck and tried to hide his own blush. "Is it wrong to want to hold the woman I love?"

"The woman… Wait."

Soryu pulled Suzumi close, arms encircling her smaller frame. Pleased that she didn't fight him or try to pull away, he spoke softly in her ear. "Yes. The woman I love. You heard right. I want you to know that I meant that kiss and I mean these words."

Suzumi sighed against Soryu's neck, his words sinking in. Closing her eyes, she took in the warmth that his body was offering to her in his embrace, relaxing in his arms. Sensing the tension leave her body, Soryu hugged her close before nudging her to turn over in his arms.

"Lean on me. Take a nap. I'll wake you when Luke gets here."

"Aren't I heavy, though?"

"No. Just sleep. Things might get a little crazy from here on out and I don't want you exhausted."

The sensation of lips on the top of her head brought extra warmth to Suzumi, and it seemed to cascade down and run and through her veins. Before closing her eyes, she could see the man supporting her take up her wrist once more and continue to gently massage the bruised skin. She couldn't help the smile that grew on her lips at the feeling of his fingers and his presence surrounding her.

"Goodnight, Soryu."

"Goodnight, Suzumi."

* * *

"Luke? Go ahead and come on in. Use the card Eisuke gave you. I can't move right now."

Suzumi could feel consciousness slowly coming back to her, but her body fought it. Above her, she could hear Soryu speak softly to Luke. Without hearing an answer, she assumed he was on the phone with the doctor. In the distance, the sound of a door closing echoed.

"What's this?"

"What do you think it is?"

"Did the two of you finally figure it out?"

Soryu grunted. "It's her wrist. It's bruised again from last night."

"That's not good. If she isn't able to keep it from being injured, it will never heal."

"Well it's not like she had a choice."

There was the sound of a bag opening and a rustling of cloth. "I'm well aware of what happened. Perhaps it might best to keep her here for a while so that she'll heal properly? Hold up her wrist for me."

"I can't promise that. I don't know what's going to happen in the next few days. What's the damage like?"

A cool touch prodded her skin and Suzumi couldn't help but to pull back and try to turn over in her sleepy haze. The cool fingers wrapped around her wrist and kept her from turning over. There were two sets of chuckles surrounding her.

"Sorry, Suzumi. Hands are going to be a bit cold. Unlike Soryu who almost seems like he's running a fever…"

"I don't have a fever."

"I know."

There was movement around her and gentle prodding on her wrist and hand. A sigh and the click of a tongue.

"I don't have anything else I can give her to help. She should keep with the vitamins I gave her. I'm going to wrap her wrist and I'll fetch a brace. If we can get her into the wrist brace, it should aid more than not having it at all."

There was a pause.

"I won't be in Japan by the end of the week. The auction winners need me to perform their surgeries elsewhere. I'll be in Paris, then London. Should I call Taiga Kujo and ask him to be ready to come?"

"How long will you be gone?"

"Perhaps a week or two."

A sigh. The warm breath ruffling her hair, tickling her forehead.

"No. Suzumi has his card if something does happen. But it should be fine. I have plans to make and they don't include ending up in confrontation."

The silence that followed Soryu's voice had Suzumi in and out of consciousness once more. When she faded back in, the men were whispering, their words incoherent to her sleepy mind. A gentle hand was petting her head and the cool fingers were gone.

"I'll be back later with the brace. Get some rest yourself. It's already sunrise. Do you need help with her?"

There wasn't a vocal response, but after a time, she could feel something shifting. A gentle rocking before the sensation of something soft under her.

"Sor...yu?"

Lips feeling like lead, it was all she could do to speak his name. In response, she could feel his fingers on her cheek. A blanket, softer than anything, shrouded her.

"Shh. Go back to sleep."

In the morning, Suzumi didn't remember much of what she'd heard in her sleep. She recalled Luke's cold hands tending to her wrist and the sensations of Soryu's warm fingers caressing her head. When she woke up, she found herself snuggled deep in blankets and surrounded by a smell that didn't smell like her own bed. Becoming more aware, her eyes opened wide and she realized that the sheets were a dark blue and immediately the smell registered in her mind. _Soryu._

Sitting up, she could see that she was in Soryu's room, alone in his large bed. The curtains were half drawn, the strong summer sunlight filtering into the room, playing across her body and the bed. Listening close for noise in the rest of the suite, Suzumi strained her ears for the sounds of Soryu but was met with silence. Moving to crawl out of the bed, she felt a twinge of pain and looked down at her wrist. It was expertly wrapped, hiding the bruises she knew she'd developed from the encounter with Ren the night before. Taking care the second time around, she left the bed and, after her morning routine in Soryu's bathroom, explored the suite.

The coffee cups from the night before were gone from the table, moved to the kitchen counter. Her notebook and files were still where she left them, tossed casually on the table, forgotten. A note on top of the manila folder caught her eye, drawing her close.

_Had to go over auction details with Eisuke. _

_I am in the penthouse lounge. You may come if you wish. _

_I'll be back when I can._

_Soryu_

Weighing her options, Suzumi decided to get dressed for the day and see if she could get into the lounge. As she dressed, she noticed a small light on her cell phone blinking. The small device had been forgotten on her nightstand, tossed next to her new watch. Quickly, she put on the watch and unlocked the phone, checking the messages. A text from Baba, one from Ota, and one from Soryu.

Baba's wished her well and had a photo of her in her cheongsam from the night before. She realized that it must have been taken before they'd run into the Soumas when she and Soryu were casually talking. A candid shot, her face looked relaxed and had a small smile on her lips. Her eyes looked up at Soryu, who had an incredibly tender look on his face.

Ota's was a message was simple a photo. One that didn't catch her own face, most hidden by her hair. Instead, the focal point was Soryu. A different time during the I.V.C., after Inui had hauled Ren away from the stairwell. But Soryu's face looked almost poker-like, it was his eyes that captured the emotions in the photo. Possessive desire that she hadn't recognized at the time. Ota had captioned the photo with, _Next time, wait until you're alone… _

Soryu's text had no photos. It was simply another reminder, one sent less than ten minutes before, about his whereabouts and inviting her to join him in the lounge with Eisuke. Checking the time, just past noon, Suzumi decided to check and see what was happening in the lounge before ordering lunch. Pocketing the phone, she checked for her key card and left the suite, looking down the hall for any other guests. Seeing no one else, she strode to the lounge door and knocked twice before entering.

"Hello, it's Suzumi."

* * *

**A/N:** _So. Thoughts? Things are changing. Crossroads were met and challenged. I will try hard to not wait a whole month to post again. I can't promise though. I went from having nothing to do this spring and summer to having a really full calendar of events. Between participating in weddings, a handful of concerts, and a vacation to the mountains, on top of school and work, I'm a busy woman. I generally tend to write more when on vacation though, if chapters 13 to 17 were any indication. I wrote all of those while traveling. On an awesome note, I'm going to see Babymetal this Friday. I'm stoked to see what kind of show they put on._  
_Next, did anyone else witness the Voltage Fandom Meltdown of 2016? Over Terms of Service that honestly didn't even change. It was obvious people hadn't really read the TOS before. But if you didn't know anything, they updated the TOS to include that you should log in to your apps at least once a year to maintain your CGs. Your games are still yours and you don't have to pay for them again. You'll just have to play the route again to get the CGs again if you don't. Everyone on Tumblr freaked out and I just sat there sipping tea, trying to calm people down. Just remember. If you ever write fanfiction, make drawings, or do manipulations, always give credit to the original owners. That would be Voltage in this case. As you can see, I pretty much do it every chapter. It's common courtesy and honestly, saves your butt legally._  
_Also, if you guys aren't reading the substories in KBTBB, you really should. You're missing out on great interactions with the MC and the love interest. Therein known as Soryu. I get so much extra stuff from them because it's a deeper look and the next chapter references a character from one of the substories. Plus a lot of them are really cute and all that. I love the one with Soryu and blueberries._  
_Voltage has released some new games since I last posted. Bad Boys Do It Better! and After School Affairs. Or, at least I've started playing them recently. I love Yu in BBDIB. I've played all the main routes available in that game and he wins. He's adorable. In ASA, I've played Kiyonori and Rikiya's routes. I like Rikiya more, but maybe because he's got that bad boy aura? Kiyonori is adorable though. I'm debating between playing Hidetaka's route and Shinichi next. I can't get over Voltage's love of sadistic guys but his story sounds interesting and I'm hesitant on Shinichi because I don't always like the main male character promoted. They're usually pretty conceited. In other game news, apparently Scandal In the Spotlight has been put on hold. I'm dying on the inside because that's a top five game for me and as with most games I love (including Love Letter From Thief X, My Wedding and 7 Rings and Finally, In Love Again) they decide to stop updating it._

_Wow I rambled. I'm going going to leave now. If you want to chat more, find me on Tumblr, velvetcovered_brick._

_Until next time,_

_itakethewords_


	20. Turning Point

**Author's Note:** _And another lovely chapter to you all this fine middle of the night. I'm a woman of little words tonight. So as a reminder, read, enjoy, leave a review!_

**Disclaimer**: _I own my own characters and plot, Voltage INC owns the rest._

* * *

if a stranger turns up missing, this song is my confession  
Tell the tales of the trail of dead, lovers learn from slower hands  
Losing self in myself, inner demons make demands

**Reclusion** \- Anberlin

**Twenty.**

Soryu woke after just a couple hours of sleep. It was much later than what he was used to, but with so many things piling up that needed his attention, it would have to do until he could get some work done. He rose from the bed, regretfully leaving Suzumi nestled in the blankets. Turning to look back from the doorway, he could see her figure under the sheets, topped by her mass of curls on the pillows. He smirked at the sight before leaving the room. After getting ready for the day, he went to join Eisuke in the lounge where he knew the man was impatiently waiting for the mobster.

Just as he thought, the man was sitting in his chair, legs and arms crossed, a frown written on his face. Off to the side, Haruka was in uniform brewing coffee and preparing the milk and sugar for her boss' drink. Ignoring Eisuke's eyes, Soryu took up the space next to Haruka and prepared his own coffee, holding out the cup for her to fill with the fresh brew. Stirring the contents, Soryu kept his eyes trained on the swirling liquid until he was able to take a long draw from the ceramic mug. When he could feel the caffeine start to work in his veins, he went to take a seat across from Eisuke, finally looking him in the eye.

"Good morning."

"The morning is almost over."

"Yes, well considering the events of last night, I think you're lucky I'm awake this early. I could have easily slept in for longer otherwise."

Eisuke smirked. "Was your bed extra inviting this morning?"

"Eisuke!"

"Eisuke…"

Both Soryu and Haruka gasped at his forwardness, but the man didn't even blink. Keeping his smirk, he uncrossed his arms and opened a file that sat in front of him.

"Now that you're awake and not taking after Ota's habits, let's go over the auction."

Haruka handed him his coffee and waited for him to take the first sip. When he grunted in response, she smiled and bowed, leaving the two men alone. Soryu watched as his longest friend took several more long gulps of the hot liquid before sitting the mug down.

"Late night yourself, Eisuke?" The man ignored Soryu's cheek in favor of looking through some of the documents. "Regardless, she's made your coffee for nearly two years. Can't you just compliment her so she doesn't sit on pins and needles every time to see if you approve? I think she knows what she's doing."

"Where's the fun in that?"

Soryu just shook his head and sighed. "What's on the agenda?"

"I compiled the auction numbers this morning while you were lounging in bed. I just want to go over them with you, as well as a few other things. Take a look."

Browsing through the papers, Soryu nodded his head a few times. "These are solid numbers. You left a few things blank though. Why did you leave those documents blank for the winner? How much did they pay?"

"You and I both know who bought them. And he paid about seven million for them. I left it blank because I wanted to see if you'd notice, honestly."

Giving him a skeptical look, Soryu snorted. "Your motives are never pure. Where are the others?"

Eisuke pulled out a second folder and sat it on the table between the two of them, leaning back in his seat to see what Soryu would do next. When the mobster didn't rise to his bait, he pouted slightly. "Baba is doing some work for me. Ota is still sleeping. Mamoru is actually working, but gathering information for me as well, and Luke is on an errand regarding Suzumi's health. He should actually be back any time now, I'm surprised it's taking him so long. He came staggering in here and passed out on the couch after tending to her wrist. He woke up around seven, muttering a list of things he wanted to buy, and left without talking to me."

"So what's in the folder then?"

"Documents for Suzumi to read through. She wants work, I'll give it to her. Have her look at these today."

Before Soryu could reply, Eisuke's phone rang. Not expecting a call, Eisuke frowned and pulled out the cell from his pocket. The number on screen made his eyes widen and he quickly answered the call.

"Ichinomiya. Kishi? Wait, what? He did? He said he'd come here? Fine. Do what you need to do. I want a meeting later. Fine."

"What was that about? Was it Kishi?"

Eisuke gripped his phone tightly, anger lighting his face. "Luke was attacked on the street. Mamoru and his partner happened to respond to the disturbance and they took care of it. Luke wasn't seriously injured, but he did get knocked around. Mamoru filed the report and is looking into details, thinking it's probably those Brethren nuisances. Luke left the police department and told him he was coming back here, didn't want to go to the hospital."

"WHAT?!" Soryu stood from his seat on the couch, rage flaring.

"Luke is on his way back now. Mamoru sent his partner to follow him and make sure nothing else happens. Told him to just make sure he gets in the door of the hotel and then leave him. Let's just wait for him."

"Yes, please wait. I'm here now. Sit down, Soryu." Luke walked in the door, carrying a shopping bag in one hand and several cuts and bruises on his face.

"Luke. What happened?" Eisuke sat up in his seat, arms once more crossed and a fierce look crossing his features.

The doctor sighed and sat down the bag on the table before shrugging out of his jacket and sitting next to Soryu. "I'm assuming it was the men who are after Soryu and Suzumi, but they didn't identify themselves, so I can't say. I didn't get an especially good look at them, but I managed to get some good swings in myself. Otherwise I'm sure I'd be much worse off. They caught me off guard, attacking me from behind. Three to one isn't a fair fight, not that their sort are fair."

"You told Mamoru this?" Eisuke's brow furrowed.

"Yes. Told him what I could while his partner was there. Said more when he indicated I should. It was a little funny, how surprised he was when I left. Looked at me like I was crazy."

Soryu sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Probably because you are. You didn't want to go to the hospital?"

"Why? I'm a doctor. I can fix these wounds in the clinic downstairs or even with the first aid kit in your suite Suzumi keeps. Nothing serious. Minor bruising on my cheek, abdomen, and forearm. Minor cuts, a bloody lip. All easy fixes and will heal within a week. Besides. I had to get back to give these to Suzumi. She needs that brace if she'll ever get her wrist in working order."

"How was her injuries?" Eisuke inquired. The frown on his face was becoming a permanent fixture that day, it seemed.

"She was asleep when I examined her last night. But based on physical examination, it was just her pre-existing wrist injury that was agitated." Luke paused and looked at Soryu. "I said it last night, but I'll say it again. Keep her in the hotel for a few days. It needs to heal and if she leave the hotel, the risk that she'll use it or otherwise injure it further will happen. I won't be here to help and as good as Kujo is, coming to check out a sprained wrist will still cost you five grand. Mentally, you will have to ask Soryu."

Both men turned to face Soryu, who crossed his arms and raised a brow. "What?"

"What happened last night?"

Soryu sat silently, refusing to show anything on his face. He looked between the two men he'd once gone to school with and, after their oppressive silent stares, sighed. "No. I'm not doing this. She's fine. That's all I'm going to say. If she says otherwise, that's a different story. Luke, clean yourself up. Eisuke, what's in the folder?" Soryu took out his phone for a moment, a thought crossing his mind. Sending off a quick text, he tucked the phone away and focused his eyes on the folder.

Luke grumbled as he stood, something about taking a few punches having earned some info and Eisuke snorted before grinning and reaching out for the folder.

"Like I said. Documents I want Suzumi to translate for me. Top priority, as in done before dinner. They have to do with where Baba is. If Baba's successful, we'll know more about what we're dealing with."

"Where did you send him?"

"He's here in town still. At least, that's what he said in a text to me this morning. I have a suggestion for you, Soryu."

"What's that?"

"You should contact your friend Mr Volkonsky. From the conversation we heard last night, we'll need connections in Russia and luckily you happen to have a good friend there."

Nodding, Soryu agreed. Volkonsky was a major figurehead and powerhouse in the Russian Bratva world. He held his own seat of power in western Russia and had taken a shine to Soryu about four years before and approved greatly the way he was running the Ice Dragons in the last year. The partnership between the Ice Dragons and Volkonsky's Bratva was a strong one. He'd forgotten about the Russian mafia man for a moment, it had been more than two years since he had last visited Soryu and his last planned trip the summer before had been canceled due to the man's enemies catching wind of the plan. The trip had yet to be rescheduled, but perhaps it was time for Soryu to suggest to Volkonsky that the visit be rescheduled. The man, while the smiling sort, was actually rather bloodthirsty and would make a good ally with this possible upcoming confrontation.

"I will contact him today and see if he wants to take in some more Japanese culture."

"Hello, it's Suzumi."

The three men in the room paused at the sound of the softer voice knocking at the door. Soryu sat at the edge of the couch, watching the door open and Eisuke glanced at the same door in surprise. Luke, standing near the sideboard, had paused in making his tea but resumed and started a second cup for the woman.

Suzumi walked in, shutting the door softly behind her and came into the lounge. "Did I come at a bad time? Soryu said I could join you if I wanted." She held up her cell phone as proof.

"Did he?" Eisuke said, a sly grin climbing on his face. "I suppose that's who you were texting earlier, Soryu?"

Soryu ignored Eisuke and shifted over so that she could join them at the seating area. Taking the cue, Suzumi shyly walked over and sat carefully next to Soryu. Luke took her other side and handed her the cup of tea he'd made for her. She accepted it with a quiet thanks and took a cautious sip.

"Suzumi, let me see your wrist? I would like to examine it one more time before I put on the brace." Luke held his hands out, waiting for her to comply.

Nodding, she willingly placed the wrapped wrist in the doctor's waiting hands. All three men waited quietly while he unwrapped the bandages, three sets of eyes widening at the sight hidden underneath. Her skin had a distinct pattern imprinted, standing out on a mottled mix of red and purple and black. For the sake of argument, Luke took a moment to put his own hand over the bruises to show what the pattern was to the others, as if there was any question. Careful to not put pressure on her wrist, he rubbed a salve on her skin before he began to rebandage.

"Suzumi. I need you to listen very carefully. You need to stay here in the hotel, out of trouble while you heal. If it doesn't heal properly this time, I can't guarantee it ever will." Luke caught her eye and frowned. "Promise us you'll behave and listen."

Suzumi looked away, but caught Eisuke and Soryu's attention. They had similar looks to Luke's and it make her swallow hard. Nodding, she looked down and watched the methodical movement of the bandage being wrapped. "Yes. I'll stay here until my wrist is properly healed."

"Excellent. Now, this is the brace I fetched for you."

Luke took out the brace from the bag and showed it off to Suzumi. Slim, black in color, and weighted in the center, it was much more stylish than the first one he'd given her when she'd first arrived and looked like it was easier to manage everyday activities than the first, too.

"This is a new version of a brace. More ergonomic, it should help speed things up. Keep it on at all times except the bath. Use this hand very little and do as we say and you should be healed fully in a month or two. As it stands, I'm worried about long term effects like arthritis in the future."

"Thank you, Luke. I appreciate this," Suzumi said, pulling her hand away after he put the black medical piece on her. She held her wrist close and reached for her cup of tea.

"Of course. If you need anything, I won't be in town for a time, but the doctor who helped stitch Soryu up with his bullet wound will be available if you need him."

"Suzumi," Eisuke interrupted. When she turned her head to look at the hotel owner, she watched as his face quickly morphed from one of concern to a smug sense of accomplishment. "I didn't think you'd ever dare to call me. You have guts."

Frowning in confusion, she tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"It was my phone you called last night with that gadget of yours."

"Oh." She looked down at the watch on her wrist. "Are you mad about that?"

Eisuke looked at her, smile slightly diminished. "Of course not. Would you rather you hadn't called?"

Suzumi shuddered. "No. To be honest, I remembered how to do the calls from reading, but I didn't know who I was calling. I just touched the screen and button until I felt it make the buzz to say it connected. Is there anyone else on this thing besides the seven of you that I needed to worry about calling?"

"Samejima and Inui are in there," Soryu spoke up, looking down at the woman next to him. "But that's about it. Any of us would have answered and helped you."

"How long did the phone call last?"

The men went silent with her question, a look passing between them. Soryu was the one to answer. "The call lasted until I saved you from falling into the river."

"I saw no need to stay on the line once Soryu had brought you to safety and that slug was in the Ice Dragons' hands."

A moment of silence fell over the room again and Suzumi looked down into her tea. She was broken out of her reverie by Soryu' who gently laid his large hand on her head and spoke quietly into her ear.

"It all worked out. Remember what I said."

Eisuke looked between the two and sighed. "Anyway. We keep getting interrupted on this topic. But this is actually good timing. Suzumi, on the table is a file. That's work I have for you. I need you to translate it before the end of the day. I need a word for word report of everything on these pages and what you think about the contents."

Perking up a little, Suzumi looked to the table and gingerly picked up the file. Thick and heavy with dozens of pages, the file was like a small book. A quick peek at the top page made her eyes widen in surprise. _Russian?_

"Eisuke...Are these-"

"The Russian documents from last night's auction. Copies, but all the information is there."

"Wait, Eisuke, THAT is what you wanted to give her? Did you have Baba steal those for you?" Soryu swung his head to look at the man to his right, frown deepening.

Eisuke leaned back in his chair, smug grin once more finding a home on his face. "Well, that is what Baba is currently trying to do. But these, like I said, are copies. I wanted a little insurance just in case. Despite confidentiality agreements, I don't want world war three to break loose, so if the papers are deemed too dangerous, I always make copies for any future necessities."

"This is a breach of rules for the auction, Eisuke."

"If they were in Japanese or English, I would have read them. The people who put them up are aware that they can be freely read by an auction manager. I'm sure they may have thought Russian was beyond our scope. But with Suzumi, that's not the case now." The smug grin he was wearing only lit Eisuke's face more. His aura gave off the feeling of the cat who'd caught the canary.

"That thought process makes sense, Soryu," Suzumi interrupted. "When you have a third party in charge of transactions, you give up a certain amount of privacy. And despite anything and everything up for sale, there's a few things that obviously just taste wrong in the mouth, including inciting war and genocide and the like. That small amount of privacy paid to the third party buffers that. If the party selling the item is planning those dangerous things, they probably have no business letting a third party find out about it anyway and it probably isn't in their interest anyway."

Eisuke uncrossed his arms and gripped his armrest. He appraised Suzumi with narrowed eyes and a cool smile. "It was clearly a mistake to not let you in with the auction this time around. I won't make that mistake again. Do you agree, Soryu?"

Soryu stared down at Suzumi, mouth slightly open. Worried, Suzumi looked up at him and waved her hand in front of his face. "Soryu? Are you okay?"

"Soryu?" Eisuke asked, a slightly bewildered and irritated look on his face growing.

Suddenly, Soryu stood and, grabbing Suzumi's right hand, headed straight for the penthouse door. He ignored the confused calls from Eisuke and Luke and didn't stop until the two of them were on the other side of their suite door. Backing Suzumi against the back of the door, Soryu made eye contact and held her gaze.

"What?" she asked, a tone of indignation creeping into her voice.

Soryu frowned. "You're driving me insane. You're doing it on purpose, aren't you?"

"Doing what?" Unable to keep her confusion to herself, Suzumi glared at the man in front of her.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Soryu closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. "I don't know whether to kiss you or yell at you."

"I know which I would prefer," Suzumi muttered. When Soryu's eyes opened in surprise, she chuckled. "What's wrong?"

"You're more reckless than I thought. Taking on auction business. If Eisuke thinks you're useful, he'll use every bit of you he can. He doesn't like to be told no."

"When I think I can't do something or if I don't want to, I doubt I'll have a problem telling him no. He needs to hear it more often." She shrugged. "What else?"

"After I visit the Ice Dragons, we need to talk about those documents you've been working on and just how much of the Bratva involvement you know. I'm not happy you haven't told me about it."

"When I finished translating the English papers and moved on to the rest of the Creole, then I was going to tell you. I didn't want to give you incomplete information. That'd be like giving you a book without the ending."

Soryu crossed his arms and looked down at the mirroring Suzumi. He could tell by the glint in her eye that she wasn't going to back down and it logically made sense. He was used to having all of the information, but because Suzumi was so thorough with her work, he had to wait for full reports and not information as it trickled in.

"Fair enough," he conceded. "Then there is another matter…" Soryu trailed off, smirking.

Suzumi took in the devilish grin on Soryu's face, breath catching. "W-what's that?"

Instead of responding, Soryu leaned in close, bringing his face close to hers, his nose just barely brushing against hers. He could feel the breath escape Suzumi's lips as they parted slightly in surprise. The flush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks made for a lovely sight and his lips curved upward in a smile.

Suzumi was able to respond to the sensation of his lips on hers for just a moment. His kiss was more of a teasing peck than anything more. When he pulled back, the devilish look was still on his face, accompanied by a look of fondness in his eyes.

"What's that look for?" he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice.

"I don't have a look on my face," Suzumi muttered, looking down to focus on his tie.

"Are you sure? You look like you have something to say?"

Suzumi flushed deeper and flicked her eyes upward for a moment. Devil Soryu was still there.

"Did you not want me to do that?"

"You know that isn't it."

"Then did you not want me to stop?"

Pursing her lips in a pout, Suzumi wasn't sure where to look. She felt as if the look on Soryu's face was sending her in a downward spiral of embarrassment, but it was more because he was absolutely right than anything else. Not enjoying the upper hand Soryu had on her, Suzumi swallowed her nerves and reached out, grabbing Soryu by his neatly knotted tie and shoved her lips on his.

Taken completely by surprise, Soryu didn't respond at first. The suddenness of Suzumi's kiss was surprising for both of them; Suzumi realized what she was doing the moment she felt Soryu's warm lips on hers but closed her eyes and leaned further in, placing her other hand on his chest. When Soryu finally responded to her kiss, it was to slide his hand behind her neck and deepen what she started.

Under her hands, she could feel the heat radiating from Soryu's chest through his shirt and the rapid fire beating of his heart sent a thrill through her. The feel of his large hand on her neck and the other on her waist made her more aware of their position; her back against the door to the suite and the tall man pulling her close as they kissed, lips molding to one another's. She swore she could feel fire and lightning through his kiss, the feeling of their breath whenever either of them attempted to breathe like hot summer wind. For the first time in her life, Suzumi felt dizzy from a kiss and wanted it to continue to spiral out of control.

Soryu was the first to break the kiss, backing his head away slowly and looking at Suzumi gently as she hazily opened her eyes. Letting out a chuckle at the sigh that escaped her lips, he gave her a quick peck on the lips before standing up straight and carefully dislodging her hand from his tie.

"I think this is where we stop for now. I really do need to get to the office." He squeezed her hand before letting it go. "I'll leave in a minute or two, why don't you get comfortable here?" Soryu smiled, his grey eyes narrowing at the sight of Suzumi's swollen lips.

Suzumi snorted softly. "I'll do my best. Just be careful? I feel like I'm responsible for what is essentially mounting to a mob war."

"This would have happened regardless. The Osiris Brethren are fleas in the world of the mob." Soryu put his hand on her head. "Don't think it's just about you. If you keep thinking that way, let me know."

"You didn't promise me you'd be careful." Eyes narrowed, she glanced at him sideways and she walked out from under his hand and towards the kitchen.

"Sharp as ever. I didn't. I will do my best to come back. I can only promise to protect you."

Suzumi turned and crossed her arms, frowning. "You can't protect me dead. You make sure you come back here. Or at least let me know when you're staying there. I have that phone you gave me, remember."

Sighing, Soryu rubbed the back of his neck, trying to fight off a smile. "Yes, _da jie_."

"Get out!"

* * *

Soryu stood in front of a good majority of his men based in Japan. The office was nearly packed with more than two hundred men and several dozen women, all stone-faced and attentive to their leader who had his arms crossed as he surveyed the room. When he felt like everyone was settled and accounted for, he began.

"Last night at the I.V.C. held at the Tres Spades, the head of the Osiris Brethren and his heir made an appearance. They purchased some documents that are currently being translated by Suzumi. These documents may or may not be important to the Ice Dragons. What I have called you here for is something more immediate. After his purchase was made, Taichi Souma kidnapped Suzumi with the intent to murder her and leave her body for us to find."

The room erupted into a mass noise of outrage and worry. Inui stood unusually somber and Samejima kept his face a blank look of disinterest to hide his anger. Several of the men who were always in the office when she visited called out questions regarding her health. Soryu raised his hand to quell the group and the room settled after a moment.

"Due to her quick thinking, we were able to pinpoint where she was taken and myself and others brought her to safety. Unfortunately, the Tokyo Police Department have Ren Souma in custody. Worse, Taichi fled like the coward that he is. I suspect we will have our chance with Ren soon enough, but now, between the human trafficking in Shiga and Kyoto and the intelligence gathered down there and whatever else Suzumi is translating, it is clear the Osiris Brethren need to be completely taken out of Japan."

A dull roar of agreement rippled throughout the room and all the Ice Dragons looks on the faces of his family drew from many emotions, anger and deep rage, worry, distraction, deviance, and thinly veiled murder.

"For now, we can't take major action. I want extra men at the hotel. Part of the issue with last night is that a Russian Bratva was able to take Suzumi by gunpoint from the hotel lobby to a waiting car near the valet. If we had had some more bodies at the entrance, this might have been avoided. As your leader, that was an oversight on my part and I apologize. Once I know what kind of plan the Brethren have in mind, we can go from there. Watch your backs, avoid staying in their territories for too long, step up securities at our other footholds. I plan on talking to the other branches once a plan is formed, as well as talking to the Bell Crickets and our contacts in Dubai and London."

"Sir? A Bratva took Suzumi? Does that mean the Brethren are working with them?" Akira asked, a deep frown on his face.

Soryu shook his head. "Not necessarily. The Bratva is full of factions. They aren't all aligned as a single unit. Russian is large, after all. This may be an outlier group or a single man. I will know more soon. If that's all, get back to work for now."

Not waiting for everyone to leave the room, Soryu headed for his office, taking out his cell phone before sitting at his large desk. Glancing at it, he saw there was a text message from Suzumi. Curious, he opened the mail and paled.

_Soryu, _

_these documents E gave me. This is bad. There is a Bratva group with the Brethren and they're talking terrorist plot. I haven't gotten through half the papers yet but this is already bad. I haven't told E yet. _

_I think the Ice Dragons may be in trouble._

* * *

**A/N:** _So real quick, I hit 50 reviews with the last chapter! Thanks to everyone who takes the time to review, you're all dolls. Those who don't, I love you too but you're all live invisible lovers so I can't really reciprocate like I want! What I'm doing is writing gifts for certain people, like my 50th reviewer, as thank yous. And after this, I'll pick another reviewer at random sometimes and gift them as well. So, incentive to review? I think so. Their gifts will be posted as side stories eventually but if you want control, you gotta review!_

_Don't forget to check out my Spotify playlist for all the music mentioned in each chapter. The link is on my Tumblr page, velvetcovered-brick dot tumblr dot com._

_Until next time,_

_itakethewords_


	21. Revenge & Justice

_**Author's Note**: Hello! I have two weeks free from school so I'm hoping to put together more chapters. This term (each lasts two months) was rough so that's why I've been so quiet, sorry about that. _

_On a special note, as of posting this chapter, the first of two side stories for Little Sparrow has been posted. It's called '_Bookworm: A Little Sparrow Song'._ Please feel free to read! It's dedicated to review #50: **aerl**. Thanks for being a loyal reader and reviewer! Hope you really enjoyed it! The second story will go up in the next 72 hours, I'm just editing now. I'll do more of these in the future if you guys like them and I get to certain review milestones. For example, next milestone will be 65. Can we get there? Reviewer #65 will get a story with a plot of their choosing dedicated to them. _

_Please read, enjoy, and review!_

_(If there is anything wrong with this chapter format-wise or major spelling or grammar, I apologize. I typed most on my phone while being at a concert between sets and even uploaded it from my phone. I'll fix asap when I get on a computer.)_

_**Disclaimer**: I own my plot and people like Suzumi. Voltage owns the rest. _

* * *

_So you can throw me to the wolves_  
_Tomorrow I will come back_  
_Leader of the whole pack_  
_Beat me black and blue_  
_Every wound will shape me_  
_Every scar will build my throne_

**Throne** \- Bring Me The Horizon

**Twenty-One**

It didn't come as much of a shock to Suzumi when she stepped out of the bath early evening and saw Eisuke sitting on the couch in the living room of the suite. Nor was it a surprise to see Haruka brewing his coffee and setting up a tea service for her with small cakes. Wherever Eisuke was, he was sure to have Haruka nearby, usually waiting in the shadows or just around the corner. Instead of expressing any kind of surprise, she sighed and asked him to give her five minutes to blow dry her hair.

When she came out of her room, Haruka was nowhere to be found and Eisuke was sitting on the couch, reading through the notes Suzumi had left on the table before she'd decided to take her bath. As she sat and picked up her tea, she could hear him tsk in impatience.

"I don't have all day. You're lucky, I usually don't let people make me wait."

"Next time, tell me you're coming by. I have a cell phone now." Suzumi rolled her eyes and snatched back her notebook. "There's also any of the other penthouse guys, Haruka, Mr Kenzaki, a carrier pigeon, smoke signal, or the mail."

"Impertinent."

"Entitled."

"You've grown a pair. I'm impressed. I remember you cowering that first week." Eisuke smirked and sipped at his coffee.

Sighing, Suzumi sat back in the cushions and eyed the hotel owner thoughtfully. He was such an impatient man, but he also knew how to get things done and she was impressed. He managed to get her the documents Soryu had refused to give her. It had only taken her nearly being raped and killed to change his mind on the matter.

"I'm not done with the documents. I'm about halfway."

"Why not?"

"There's nearly a hundred and forty pages! And it's only been five hours since I left the lounge!"

Eisuke smirked over the rim of his cup. "I doubt you spent all five hours working, though. You just got out of the bath, I'm sure you ate. And you can't tell me you and Soryu came back to the suite to chat over coffee before he left."

"You're transparent, Eisuke. Please stop. Do you want to know what's in the documents so far or not?"

Nodding, the smirk fell from his lips and he sat his coffee cup on the table with a little more force than what was necessary. Sitting up straight, he crossed his arms and put on a no-nonsense air as he coolly watched her reopen the notebook.

"The whole document is actually partial conversations and partial planning. From where I've stopped, it seems to go in chronological order from the initial meeting to agreeing on a plan. I'm on page eighty right now and planned on going on during dinner."

"I'll have Haruka bring up food. Keep going."

Suzumi nodded. "So the document isn't government driven. It's all underground. A faction of Bratva and the Osiris Brethren. Based on the information you tucked in the packet, which I'm assuming you didn't tell Soryu you were giving me, it seems like someone on the Russian half sold the documents in secret for extra cash. I would assume they're probably dead now. But my theory is that Taichi bought these documents to keep people from reading them and discovering their alliance."

"Interesting," Eisuke murmured, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"The documentation of meetings and conversation lessens the deeper I go and starts to turn more into planning. Though there's also less talk of the Bratva and in some ways, it kind of sounds like they're executioners, but not planners and suppliers. I need to read more to figure out what else is happening, though."

Eisuke nodded, uncrossing his arms and standing. Walking over to the large window looking out at the water, he sighed and glanced at the woman still sitting on the couch. He'd been aware of the Osiris Brethren for almost a year now, Soryu had brought their name up several times in meetings and in private. They were a reckless bunch lead by a greedy and power-hungry man who had no idea how to do business. The large Souma had approached him several times over the years to do business, but he'd always turned him down, sensing the slimy nature of the snake. It wasn't until one I.V.C. that Soryu had seen them talking and he warned him about the hard man. He wasn't at all surprised that he was trying to do in the Ice Dragons, but what did surprise him was how foolish he was being to involve anything that Eisuke owned. The hotel, the auctions, even the Ice Dragons. No one tried to take away what belonged to him and he was going to be sure that he got his message across.

"Are you afraid?" he asked Suzumi, watching her reflection in the glass. It was faint, the sun wasn't close to setting yet due to the summer weather, but he could see her move and shift in her seat.

"It would be a lie to say no. Fear is a strong emotion and despite what I've been through, I haven't run empty of it. But I have a lot of determination now, too. And anger. Lot's of anger."

"So you want revenge?"

"I want justice. What does revenge accomplish on its own? If I can get justice for myself and even the people they've hurt in the past. Those who got involved in that nasty human trafficking that I know is still happening, then I can consider that my revenge. I certainly don't want him killed if it can be helped. Then he doesn't have to feel anything. I don't think that man has felt remorse or fear in a long time. I want both him and his son to feel that. Do you think it's too much to wish for them to feel remorse? To feel sorry for what they've done?"

Eisuke hummed quietly, a deep and quiet noise of acknowledgement. "Perhaps for his brat. He's young still. I doubt it, though. Certainly that snake isn't capable."

"Eisuke?"

Suzumi walked up to the window, standing next to the tall man. Brown eyes meeting his, she stared at him, watching his face for the truth.

"Do you think I'm foolish? To want justice more than revenge?"

"I think fools are people who see the world with rose-tinted glasses. All the more a fool if they see the world in black and white. There are, of course, different kinds of justice, so long as you don't expect them to quietly go to jail, you'll get what you want."

Eisuke's face stayed a cool mask, Suzumi didn't see any sign of false pretense or teasing. She could see the steel conviction in his eyes that he meant every word he said to her. She nodded and looked away, eyes focusing in on the lights of Odaiba.

"Have you told Soryu what you've translated?"

She shook her head and sighed. "Not like what I told you. Just that it looked like conversational pieces." She hoped he didn't catch her lying. She wanted to be truthful, but she felt like she had a duty to Soryu first, not Eisuke.

"Don't tell him anything in detail until you have the whole packet translated. I have a bad feeling otherwise. Don't give me that look. Just do as I say."

Suzumi glared at Eisuke, crossing her arms. "I don't like keeping things from Soryu."

"Then you'd better hurry and translate faster."

"Where's my dinner?"

/*\

Eisuke stayed in the suite, enjoying dinner with the seemingly sour Suzumi. Haruka had brought up room service after a time, as Eisuke had promised, and the two sat quietly in the living room with the meal between them. Eisuke had his own work to deal with and between his paperwork and hers, each couch they'd claimed was filled with important papers and the quiet bodies of busy workers. It was well past sunset by the time he heard Suzumi's exclamation.

"Oh my god!"

"Suzumi?" Eisuke looked up from his final stack of papers, eyes zeroing in on her stiffened body. "What's wrong?"

Staring down at her note book, Suzumi was unable to keep her mouth from hanging open. Blinking a few times, she tried to control her breathing, to keep herself from hyperventilating. "There were hints of this but… I didn't think…"

"Suzumi? Speak up, don't mutter."

"I need to tell Soryu right away! Where's my phone?" Reaching out with her injured hand, she accidentally hit it against the side of the coffee table, sucking out a hiss of pain.

Eisuke stood and grabbed her braced wrist gently, stilling her movements. Stopped, she looked up and he took in her pale face and wide eyes. "Calm down. Deep breaths." When he could see her breath slowing down, he said, "What's wrong? What did you read?"

"Souma. He's… He's got plans of a terrorist level. He and this group of Bratva. They want to sink Odaiba island. And blame it on the Ice Dragons."

"What?"

Face turned to ice, Eisuke's eyes turned to dark steel as he took a step back from the woman sitting in front of him. Lips a thin line and body ramrod straight, the cold and ruthless businessman aura Suzumi had gotten from him was back and she shivered involuntarily.

"Tell Soryu. I need to make some phone calls."

Suzumi dove for her phone sitting on the table, hardly noticing Eisuke stomp out of the suite, slamming the door behind him. She sent a text to Soryu, hoping he answered.

_Soryu, _

_E knows. I finished the documents. Please call me. It's worse than I thought._

_Suzumi_

When she didn't hear back from him, she bit her lip in worry. It had been nearly an hour and she didn't have any indication that her message had been read. There was no sign of Eisuke returning, despite his forgotten work, and the longer she waited for contact, the more nervous she became. Acting without overthinking it, she found Soryu's name in her contacts and started the phone call. On the fourth ring, there was a click and the sound of Soryu's voice on the other line.

"Suzumi?"

"Soryu. Did you get my text?"

"Hmm, no. Did you send me another after this afternoon? I've been in meetings."

"Yes. The documents. I finished them. Taichi Souma wants to sink the Odaiba island with the help of the Bratva."

"WHAT?"

"And he plans on blaming the Ice Dragons. Soryu, Eisuke wants you back at the hotel."

There was a sigh and what sounded like Soryu trying to compose himself. "Eisuke knows?"

"Yeah… He was with me when I finished translating."

Another sigh. "This won't turn out okay. I think I feel his rage from here. I'll wrap up here and be on my way. Go to the lounge with your notes and wait there for me. I'm sure he's getting the others together."

/*\

When Suzumi went to the lounge, piles of papers in hand, she saw Eisuke pacing, on the phone with someone, voice deadly low, and Baba sitting in a chair, nursing an amber colored drink. The thief greeted her with a smile and a wave.

"Hey there, Suzumi. How are you doing today?"

"Well enough. Hello, Baba. Where have you been?"

Baba just grinned and gestured for her to have a seat on the couch. "I've been around. I'm guessing you translated the papers?"

Suzumi nodded, humming her confirmation. Sitting on the plush couch, she carefully sat down the papers she'd brought in and began sorting them into several piles. She could feel Baba's eyes on her as she worked quickly through the papers.

"What's all that?"

"My notes, the original documents, and some work Eisuke left behind in the suite when he rushed out a while ago." She saw movement in the corner of her eye and turned to see Baba with holding up a manila folder with a naughty smirk. "What's that?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Baba sighed dramatically and sat them down as a fourth pile on the coffee table next to her own piles. "My dear, these are the original documents that Souma got his hands on. Just for you."

She blinked at him, sighing. "What."

"Stop flirting, Baba. Where's Ota?" Eisuke pocketed his cell phone and, in an uncharacteristic display of stress, ran his hands through his hair while trying to keep his face a mask of aloof annoyance.

Leaning back in his seat and taking on an air of seriousness, the thief replied, "He had a meeting with a patron in Ebisu. He should be on his way now, though."

"Suzumi, find out where he is."

Shooting Eisuke a dirty look as he turned his back, she took out her cell phone and sent a text to the younger bidder.

_Where are you? E is being extra charming in his state of pretending not to be freaked out. _

Less than a minute later, she had a reply.

_I'm crossing the bridge to Odaiba now. I should be there in ten or fifteen minutes. Tell E to relax. I don't know what you did to freak him out, but I'm sure it's not all that bad. _

Suzumi frowned. "Did either of you tell him what he's being called to the penthouse for?"

Baba shook his head a negative and Eisuke ignored her and began dialing his phone again, barking at Kishi who could be heard on the other line shouting indignantly.

_Hurry. Up. It really is bad, Ota. _

Putting away her phone, tired of Ota's laissez faire attitude, she leaned back in her seat and let out a sigh. Unsure of whether she needed to run around in panic, sob in fear, or laugh at the ridiculous situation presented to her, she closed her eyes and tried to calm her chaotic mind and tense body. She could hear Eisuke still barking at his phone to her right and Baba on her left shuffling through papers. Who's papers, she wasn't sure but she didn't have the energy to care right then.

The tense silence was shattered when Suzumi's phone rang, a perky tune in contrast to atmosphere in the room. Startled, she bolted up and fumbled to take it out. Not bothering to read the screen, she answered with a stuttered hello. She could feel Eisuke glare at her from behind.

"Suzumi?"

"Soryu?"

"I'm heading up to the penthouse now. Tell Eisuke I am bringing our guest with me."

Frowning, she asked, "Why did you call me? Why not Eisuke?"

"Eisuke isn't picking up his phone when I call him," he explained.

"Mm, he's in the phone with Kishi."

"I see. Also," There was a pause and she could hear Soryu sigh. "I'd rather hear your voice than Eisuke's."

Baba teased Suzumi about the red flush that crawled up her neck and ears after she hung up the phone a moment later, breaking the tense aura around them. Furiously ignoring the older man, she looked to Eisuke who had also just ended his call.

"Soryu is on his way up. He says he's bringing a guest."

"Good."

The grin that grew on Eisuke's lips sent a shiver down Suzumi's spine. He strode over to an empty chair in the sitting area and sat, his body adjacent to hers. Crossing his arms, he had a deep look of satisfaction radiating off him, the worry he'd unconsciously been giving off gone without a trace left behind. The closest she could think of to compare him to was a satisfied cat who'd walked away from an empty bird cage.

A few minutes later, Soryu walked into the penthouse lounge, followed by an older, slightly shorter man who looked to be the very image of the mob. Seeing both Eisuke and Baba stand for the man, Suzumi followed suit, watching as Eisuke walked forward to greet him with a firm handshake and a crooked grin.

"Mr Volkonsky, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Mr Ichinomiya, you as well. It's been some time since I've come to the Tres Spades. It still looks like a great hotel."

The man's thick Russian accent stood out immediately in contrast to the Japanese coming from his mouth. Suzumi cocked her head to the side slightly, watching the men exchange greetings curiously.

"Mr Baba! Good to see you as well, you look well."

Baba shook the man's hand and smiled big. "Mr Volkonsky, so do you!"

The three men talked for a moment before the Russian noticed Suzumi still standing by the couch. With a friendly smile, Volkonsky walked over to her and took her hand, shaking it with as much enthusiasm as he had with Eisuke and Baba. Soryu and Baba waited with baited breath, ready to step in and smoothly separate her from the new man. However, their fears were unwarranted when Suzumi stood in place calmly, smiling and returning the handshake.

"Hello, my name is Suzumi."

"Suzumi! Wonderful. I am Volkonsky, a friend and business partner of Soryu's. You were not here the last time I visited, are you Eisuke's woman? You're very lovely."

Suzumi smiled softly, glancing briefly to look at the three men behind the Russian. Baba looked amused, Eisuke stood once more with arms crossed and a secret smirk on his face, and Soryu looked relieved, hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Afraid not. I doubt Eisuke could handle me," she laughed. Her grin widened when the man laughed and Eisuke glared at her.

"Baba then. He loves beautiful women!" Volkonsky looked back to Baba, who shook his head.

"Unfortunately, this little bird was never mine to have. Not without trying, of course."

Suzumi could see the flush starting on Soryu's cheeks and leaned down to whisper to Volkonsky in his native tongue, "I am Soryu's and Soryu is mine."

Surprised at hearing Russian from the small woman, Volkonsky stared at Suzumi a moment before bursting out in laughter. Patting her on the head fondly, he glanced back at Soryu, grinning. "Excellent woman, Soryu. She's a delight."

"What did you say, Suzumi?" Soryu asked, walking over gesturing for the Russian and her to take their seats first.

"Ah ah, that's our secret, yes?" Volkonsky winked at Suzumi who smiled and looked away, somewhat shyly. "Just know she is good for you. Unafraid to speak her mind, that's a strong woman."

"I'm here!" Ota burst into the room, a frown on his face. Pausing at the sight of a new person in the room, he lifted his lips in a small smile seeing who it was. "Mr Volkonsky, what a pleasant surprise."

"Ota Kisaki. Good to see you are still here. How is your art coming?"

"Well, thank you. When business is done, should I do another piece for you? It's almost tradition at this point," Ota laughed.

"Absolutely."

"The last member of our group is doing recon, so he won't join us. I've told him details and I will catch him up afterward," Eisuke said, taking a seat. Ota and Baba followed suit, filling the couch opposite of Eisuke's chair. Next to Eisuke was Mr Volkonsky in his own armchair, followed by Soryu and Suzumi on the smaller couch centered in the seating area.

"First I would like to explain Suzumi. She may be with Soryu but she isn't here for decoration. She's actually extremely useful." Eisuke smirked, watching the woman shoot him another dirty look. "Almost ten months ago, Suzumi wound up in the hands of the Osiris Brethren's heir, Ren Souma. She eventually was sold in our auction and Soryu bought her. Since then she has been providing us with information she became aware of while living with the Soumas. She also has a handy skill of language and has been working with the Ice Dragons translating intercepted messages from rival gangs like the Brethren."

"You were sold at auction, Suzumi?" Volkonsky frowned. "I didn't realize you dealt in flesh, Eisuke."

"Suzumi was the first. And likely the last. It's a foul business."

"And I went willingly. It was that or death and I took a chance," she added. "I was being thrown away, so what did it matter? I got very lucky that Soryu bought me."

"Suzumi, tell our friend what you've found," Eisuke said, watching her reaction. He wasn't disappointed, the look of surprise was entertaining to say the least.

"Okay… Well, there was an auction last night and some papers were being sold. They were Russian documents and none of these fools can read them and they wouldn't let me. I had a run in with both Soumas which led to several things, the arrest of Ren Souma, Taichi Souma running off into the night, and me getting my way and getting copies of the documents. I spent the day translating them, watching the text go from conversation and half baked planning to a solid and very real inevitability. A question I have for you, Mr Volkonsky, before I go on is, are you here to help us? Because this means the lives of thousands or even millions. I don't care if illegal underground operations happen around me. I just care about what's right. You can sell guns and illegal goods from one sunrise to the next but I don't buy into cruelty for its own sake. Do you agree with me?"

There was a silence that rang in the room. Suzumi could feel five pairs of eyes watching in her various states of confusion and astonishment. She could feel the amusement radiating off of Eisuke, but she didn't break eye contact with Volkonsky to check and confirm. It was another set of heartbeats before the older mafia man answered her.

"I may be in the underground, in a violent and deadly business. But I would never advocate the harming of innocent bystanders if it can be avoided. You have my word that your ideas, Soryu's ideas, and my own all align for this venture."

Suzumi nodded and, ignoring the collective sighs of relief three of the bidders let out, she continued explaining the information she had found, only rolling her eyes at them in any acknowledgment.

"The plan itself was hatched and paid for by the Brethren. The maturity was a mutual venture between them and a Bratva group centralized in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. I'm sure this is very remote considering the size of Russia, but they seem to be a very money hungry group. I'm not a hundred percent about the name of their faction, but _Cherep_ was mentioned several times in place of names and nouns. The Brethren have hired this group to lay the foundation and execute their plans, which are essentially a terrorist attack on this very island. They want to sink Odaiba. I'm assuming it is because they know Ice Dragons do a lot of business here with the Tres Spades, which has the most prominent name attached to its business. The Ice Dragons are not officially based in Odaiba, but it does a good deal of its business here."

This was the most information Suzumi has told any of the men surrounding her, but they all wore similar looks on their faces. Hard masks of rage, narrowed eyes that showed plotting, and thin lines where their mouths were sealed tight in serious grimaces. Eisuke had a terrifying look on his, a fire burning behind his eyes that showed how serious he was taking her words and how cruelly he planned on dealing with the situation. Ota lost his smile, face harder than she had ever seen it. There was a reason why Ota was known for actually being the devil and not the public 'angelic artist' everyone knew him as. Baba had become a blank mask, very little emotion showing, except his eyes. They too had become hard and unyielding, the seriousness of the situation taking root. For the first time since being bought for fifty million, Suzumi felt a fraction of fear looking at Soryu's face. Any traces of the kind man she had come to know we're gone, replaced by the man who ran one of the most prominent groups in the underworld. In this moment, he was an Ice Dragon. The fear was a quick wash, replaced by another emotion. One that Suzumi hadn't felt in well over a year and it raced in her veins, causing her a sudden revelation and her to avert her eyes. Next to her, she could see Volkonsky let out a heavy sigh and she looked at him, seeing a large frown and furrowed brows.

"This isn't good. _Cherep _is slang for an Eastern Bratva faction who does as they please despite others warning them. This is a good opportunity to put them down for good. Suzumi, Soryu, I will help you with every man I can spare. To commit an act of terrorism, especially on that scale. It is terrifying and low. I am surprised that a group in Japan would be willing to destroy a part of their own city for what sounds like a petulant temper tantrum."

Suzumi sighed and eyed the men in the room, looking someone guilty. "I don't think it had reached this scale in size until about seven months ago."

Volkonsky could cocked his head slightly, thinking. "Is that when you came to Soryu?" She nodded in response. "Then all the more reason to stomp out these annoying groups. Men who act irrationally are no men at all."

"Do not think you are the cause, Suzumi. I'm partially aware of the Osiris Brethren and those in Russia are aware of the _Cherep _and their foul dealings. A plan of this scale takes years, yes?" Volkonsky switched to his native tongue easily and Suzumi, after a moment, responded in kind.

"Yes. The papers are all dated and go back two and a half years. The final plans are dated on the last seven months and end a month ago."

He nodded. "Don't worry then. Anything beyond the plot is just, what is it, sour grapes."

"Uh you guys… Can you fill us in? We don't speak Russian." Ota looked between the two, frowning.

"Sorry, Ota," Suzumi sighed, switching back to Japanese.

"It was nothing major," Volkonsky said, waving a hand casually, following suit. "Now. Do you have a plan?"

Soryu finally spoke up, crossing his arms. "Unfortunately not. I called you here initially to see if you had heard anything. Suzumi finished the translations a few hours ago and the actual plans are news to us." He looked to the woman sitting next to him. "Is there a date planned or details on how the plan on doing this?"

"Yes. It's in my notes. Seems like a lot of volatile chemicals and explosives, sabotage of the underground infrastructure of the island. Dirty cops and middlemen taking bribes. Forged paperwork in the government from those who opposed Odaiba being built and certain businesses opening." She eyed Eisuke to make a point. "It's a rather intricate plan, honestly. I wouldn't have thought any of the neanderthals in that group could pull it off."

"Never underestimate an enemy, Suzumi," Volkonsky chided.

Eisuke spoke up, taking in what Suzumi had learned. "Kishi should be back soon. I want to know what he's found out. He should have more info on those dirty cops and politicians, as well as copies of the forms, if that's in the documents. What was the date range for the conception of the plot?"

"September fifteenth."

"Then we have three weeks to figure out a plan. If no one's against it, let's meet up first thing in the morning. I'll clear my schedule." Five heads nodded in agreement and Eisuke stood, the others following suit. "Baba, show Mr Volkonsky one of the empty suites. I will have Haruka come prepare it."

"Of course, Boss."

"Goodnight, Suzumi! It has been a pleasure to meet you. I will see you tomorrow, yes?"

Suzumi nodded after glancing at Soryu who showed no disagreement to the plan. "Yes. I'll be here."

Volkonsky shook hands and spoke parting words with the other men, discussing security and his own men that he had brought along. After twenty minutes or so, Soryu finally came back to Suzumi who waited patiently, watching the interactions.

"Let's head back to our suite," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

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**A/N:** _Thank you for reading, I hope you've enjoyed! Leave a review to let me know and please do include your thoughts. I enjoy long ones that initiate conversation. Some of you can attest to that! Ha! Find me on Tumblr, **velvetcovered-brick**, for your extra Voltage dose and random chatting. Don't forget to check out the Spotify playlist too! _

_Itakethewords _


	22. Sudden Collateral

**Author's Note:** _I have been trying to upload this chapter for three days. Between having no power and my internet acting up, I think we should all just be thankful I didn't burn the town down. Anyway, here's a new chapter. _

_The second of the special reviewer side stories I wrote is now up. It's called _A Red String_ and can be found in my profile. It's dedicated to the lovely **MikoScorus**, a dedicated reviewer and lovely person to chat with. Thanks for your support!  
If you too want a side story from _Little Sparrow_ of your choice, the next opportunity is when we hit 65 reviews. Read, then take two minutes to leave a review, telling me your thoughts. It's simple. It's fun hearing what people think in reviews and PMs. I write this because I'm enjoying the story, but I post it because I think it's nice to share.  
Don't forget to read and review on _Bookworm_, which is the first side story for _Little Sparrow_, too._

**Disclaimer**_: I own my own characters and plot, but people like Eisuke and the Tres Spades all belong to Voltage, INC._

* * *

My ambition, is all that I have  
There's a tension, when you want it so bad...  
...Your attention to the matters at hand  
Your intentions, are yet to be had  
We will find you, we will find you

**Intentions **\- Anberlin

**Twenty-Two**

"Soryu, who exactly is Mr Volkonsky?"

After returning to the suite, they'd split up to change and eventually made their way back to the common area. First to leave her bedroom, she went to the kitchen to prepare drinks and brought over a mug full of dark coffee to Soryu, who sat on the couch wearily. Accepting the cup with a grateful smile, he took a gulp of the brew and sat it on the coffee table.

He pat the spot beside him and watched as she hesitated for only a moment before sitting down next to him. "Mr Volkonsky is a business associate who's taken a liking to me and the other penthouse men. Years ago when I was in the middle of the chain, I was in charge of entertaining him and closing a deal when he visited Japan. His enemies followed him and we were attacked. Because both of us had agreed to meet without weapons, it was an unfair fight. But I had bought a samurai sword from one of the auctions and planned on gifting it to him. I used the sword to scare off his enemies and since then, he's put in an absolute show of faith in me and the Ice Dragons. He likes doing business with Eisuke and Baba, commissions pieces from Ota. He's not as fond of the slacker, but he admires the gall he has to be feeding information to us as well as be on the force. He's seen him in action, as well, so that helps. Luke also happened to do an emergency appendix removal on him the last time he visited so he's very grateful to him as well."

Suzumi sipped on her tea, eyes wide at his story. "Wow. Did you guys get into a lot of shenanigans before I came? Did I walk into more of a mess?" she teased.

Soryu laughed. "Well, Eisuke and Ota are both bored easily. But these things are not the norm. I'd venture a guess that, while the situation we are in is dangerous for so many reasons, Eisuke is actually enjoying himself. It gives him a chance to flex his power."

"So what's on the agenda for tomorrow?"

"In the morning, we'll all be meeting in the lounge again. You'll need to bring your notes and I'm sure you'll be a major player in the meeting. You know the information the best. We need to find out what Kishi has found out as well as what the best course of action is. If they haven't changed dates, we'll need to act in the next three weeks."

Suzumi frowned. "What if they'd decided an earlier date? I mean, Baba stole the originals, that's bound to make him realize…"

"I have a few spies in with their group. I'll pull them out one at a time as needed. Let's relax about it for now. I think you can agree with me when I say we need our rest? It's been a long two days."

She sighed. "That's true. You've got to be exhausted. I fell asleep at some point, but when did you? Did you even go to bed?"

Soryu hummed a response, nodding. "Eventually."

"But you were gone when I got up around noon. We didn't come back to the suite until really late…"

"I'm more worried about you. Stop thinking about it for the night. It'll become most of what occupies your mind soon and I'd like for you to not always have to worry about death." Soryu's small smile was bitter.

Suzumi shrugged. "Thanks for worrying about me." She reached out and took his hand, squeezing it.

Using the leverage, Soryu took the opportunity to pull her close. Caught by surprise, Suzumi let out a gasp as she landed on his lap, his arms wrapped around her immediately and she could feel his warmth surround her.

"Soryu?"

She could hear his heart thump hard in his chest as her ear pressed against him. His arms squeezed her just a little tighter and she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. Her own heart sped up at the sensations she was surrounded by and her breath hitched.

"Suzumi, depend on me. I'm going to protect you."

His words danced softly on her skin and she could feel the goosebumps rise on her neck. Pulling away, she didn't move from her new position on his lap, but looked up into Soryu's grey eyes, feeling them on her with every move she made.

"Thank you," she whispered. After a moment, solidifying a decision in her mind, she reached out and pulled his head closer to hers and placed her lips on his. His response was immediate, his lips responding to hers with a soft pressure.

Their kiss was gentle, a tender moment between the two of them. The longer the kiss went on, the more emotion she could feel Soryu put into it. She could feel his strong will and the utter devotion he held for her in his lips and poured her own feelings into the kiss. Hands tangling in one another's hair, the kiss transformed from slow and tender to a deeper, all-encompassing battle of lips and tongue. When one of his hands slid from her head to her neck, down her shoulders and arms and stopped at her side, she let out a sigh. His fingers ran small paths along the thin material of her nightshirt, alternating between gentle strokes and dizzying circles. The sensations sent sparks along her skin and reflexively, she brought her body closer to his. The feeling of his heart speeding against her chest matched her own and she couldn't help the quiet whine that escaped her lips. Her noises cut through the fog in her mind and, reluctantly, she broke the kiss and pulled back from Soryu.

Opening her eyes, she wasn't at all surprised to see a fire lit behind Soryu's. She felt guilty, pulling away. But it was an automatic reaction in her body and it wasn't something she was ready to fight just yet. Her face must have reflected her thoughts, because Soryu brought a hand up to cup her cheek and smiled softly.

"Don't worry, Suzumi." He placed a kiss on her cheek before pulling back. "Did you eat dinner already?" Soryu stood and looked down at her from his position.

Trying to cool the flush on her face, Suzumi nodded. "Yeah, Eisuke ordered and we ate while we worked." She stood and half turned, avoiding eye contact while hiding her embarrassment. She could see the mafia king frown from the corner of her eye.

"You've spent a lot of time with Eisuke today. That's unusual."

"Mm. He barged his way in while I was in the other room after you left. Pretty much forced me to do the rest of the translations. Like I wasn't going to," she added under her breath. "Stuck around and had Haruka bring up dinner and that was around the time I finished. I was surprised he had so much free time to spend in here with me."

Soryu took her hand and turned her to face him. The frown was gone, but he had a serious look on his face. Pulling her close, he hugged her and whispered, "Eisuke's fond of you. If he wasn't he wouldn't give you an ounce of attention."

"Fond of?" she asked, skeptic.

"He sees you a bit like a little sister. He already has one, but she's just started a family of her own and lives elsewhere. I think he sees a second opportunity to be a brother he wasn't able to be before." Soryu chuckled and pulled away from Suzumi a little. "I recommend letting him big brother you, it comes in handy sometimes."

Suzumi chuckled. "I feel like my other option would be him totally destroying me."

Soryu smirked once more and held her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. "It's gotten late. Let's go to bed?" He began walking towards his room, bringing her along.

Suzumi paused in the doorway, watching as he shed his shirt and sat on the edge of the bed. "Uh."

"Hm? Suzumi?"

"Should I… I'm going to go to my room…"

Turning to go back to the other side of the suite, she could hear the creak of the bed as Soryu stood and tried to get away. He was quicker, however. He reached out and grabbed her right hand again and pulled her back against his chest.

"You can go if you want, I won't stop you. But I think we'll both be happiest in the same bed." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders as he spoke, his voice low in her ear. "We're just going to sleep. Nothing else."

He waited, listening close for her answer. But Suzumi's reply came in the form of her breaking away from his arms and walking around him and heading for his bed.

"It's been a long day. Are you coming?"

/*\

Close to dawn, both Suzumi and Soryu were woken up by a loud ruckus, pounding and someone yelling at them to wake up. Soryu woke up immediately, sitting up in bed at the sound of an intruder. Suzumi was a little slower, groaning in protest at the sudden and jarring removal from her dreams. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she could see Eisuke standing in the doorway to the bedroom, snarling at Soryu, who was pulling on his clothes for the day quickly.

"What's happening?" she asked, sitting up and sliding her legs from under the sheets.

"Suzumi, have you heard from Haruka since the afternoon?" Eisuke was short, his words like knives being thrown at her, leaving no room for anything but a yes or no answer.

"No…? Let me check my phone." She reached over on the nightstand and looked at the device, seeing nothing new from the hotel maid. "Nothing. Why, what's wrong?" In her peripheral, she could see Soryu loading his gun and tucking it under his jacket, his face cold and in mobster mode.

"She never came home after her shift. The employee dorm is empty and she never checked out when her shift was done."

Suzumi's lips pressed together tightly, worry taking over her face. "When was she supposed to be done?"

"Seven. But the last person to see her, her friend Chisato, said she'd seen her helping a guest around six fifteen in the lobby. I didn't think much of it when she didn't come to the penthouse last night, she sometimes goes to her dorm room."

"You waited this long to come to us, Eisuke?" Soryu asked, exasperatedly.

Eisuke shot him a glare. "I don't require my girlfriend to always stick to my side like glue. She is allowed to have her own life. But when she didn't answer the penthouse pager or her cell phone, that was a red flag. She knows to not ignore me."

"Did anyone go to the dormitories?"

"I sent Baba. That's where he found these."

Eisuke held out the curious penthouse pager and the purple smartphone that Haruka was always carrying. The pager was intact, but the smartphone's screen was shattered beyond visibility and the battery dead. Both were covered in dirt and gravel dust, casings scratched from the pavement.

"It's six in the morning... " Suzumi murmured to herself. She bit her lip, her mind suddenly racing. "Do you think it's... "

"Get dressed. We're meeting in the penthouse lounge."

The man's face was a sheet of iron, a mask of detachment. His eyes were dark, emotionless.

"We'll be there in a minute Eisuke. Go get Ota, I know you left him for last." Soryu walked out of the room, leading Eisuke to the door of the suite. When he returned, he gently grabbed Suzumi by the shoulders and met her eyes with his.

"This isn't your fault."

"But, if the Brethren have taken Haruka…"

"If they _do_ have Haruka, it's because they know Eisuke won't help them. I wouldn't worry about her, she's had some martial arts training herself. They wouldn't kill her."

"Taichi would."

Soryu narrowed his eyes.

"Taichi Souma. I saw him kill people for sneezing in the same room as him. He shot a servant for giving him what he considered a dirty look. One of the reasons why he didn't kill me in his home was, according to him, my blood was dirty. I was a half breed and he didn't want that blood staining his floors."

"Half breed?"

Suzumi snorted. "Well, I'm obviously not full Japanese. My grandfather was American. I don't look like a typical dainty Japanese woman, either. He wasn't keen on that. We'd better go before Eisuke tears off the doors."

As they left the suite, one of the other doors in the hall was left partially open and Suzumi could hear the faint sounds of arguing. Both Ota and Eisuke's voices carried into the hall, Eisuke's icy and demanding and Ota's petulant and sharp. Soryu sighed and ignored the noise, heading directly to the penthouse and she followed.

"Sounds like he got him up. Now if Ota will just wake up enough to listen," he muttered.

They walked into the lounge and saw both Baba and Mamoru on the couch. The detective was nodding in and out of sleep, an unlit cigarette between his lips and Baba was taping away on a tablet, a serious look of concentration on his face. Baba was the only one to acknowledge their entrance, but it was toned down from his usual enthusiasm, instead a bitter smile playing on his face and a nod in their direction.

"What are you doing, Baba?" Suzumi asked, sitting in one of the armchairs. She leaned forward to try and get a peek at the tablet screen.

"I'm trying to see if I can find Haruka. Looking through the Tres Spades security in the lobby and the employee dorms. There's a lot to go through."

"Have you found anything suspicious?"

The thief nodded. "I've got some familiar muscle stalking the lobby around five o'clock. I recognize them from the I.V.C. and I think they belong to Taichi Souma. They're just standing around, talking, looking at things."

"They were scoping out security and watching employee movement, then." Eisuke walked into the penthouse, a groggy-looking Ota following. The artist was only half dressed, jeans hanging low on his hips, belt undone, and carrying his white shirt. The blond locks on his head were disheveled and his amber eyes were squinting against the bright light of the lounge. Ota threw himself on the couch next to Kishi and fought with his shirt as he put it on.

"Were these men with Souma during the I.V.C. or elsewhere?"

"They followed behind him and his son during the public event. They must have been his security that night, they followed about fifteen feet behind him most of the night until the auction. Then they weren't allowed in. But I remember watching them as I kept an eye on Suzumi that night."

Soryu crossed his arms and watched Eisuke pace. "If the footage shows these men taking Haruka, what do you want to do? We haven't had a chance to talk about any planning, we can't rush it but we can't leave her to them."

"If I see them laying a single finger on her, I'll be calling him and demanding my woman back."

"Do you think he just wants money or support?" Ota asked, yawning as he woke up more, eyes becoming more alert as they talked.

Suzumi shook her head. "I doubt it. I was telling Soryu but… Taichi Souma doesn't do hostages."

"What are the odds, Suzumi?" Eisuke's voice was low and she whipped her head around to look at the businessman.

"Odds?"

"The odds Haruka will be killed. Before I talk to him, after."

Biting her lip, she thought a moment, recalling the violence she'd witnessed those months in the Souma home. She'd heard even more, but the screams weren't indicative of death and sometimes death could come silently. She averted her eyes as she thought, but when she came to a decision, she met Eisuke's mahogany eyes head on.

"Fifty fifty. There's too many variables given the situation. He knows you're friends with Soryu and could blackmail you. Demand backing or money, manpower. Then again, he kills just because. If someone irritates him, because he's angry or bored. I… I don't know what to tell you."

Eisuke fixed her with a hard glare.

"He'll probably kill her."

"Soryu."

Answering Eisuke's silent demand, the mobster pulled out his cell phone and began rapidly speaking in low tones. He paced behind the seating area, switching in and out of Japanese and Chinese, words coming out short and sharp as he spoke with his spies. Suzumi was surprised to hear him cursing in Chinese as he ended his call and watched him and he called out to Eisuke.

"They have her. She was brought to the Souma main house around ten o'clock last night."

The silence that followed Soryu's words was accompanied by five pairs of eyes watching Eisuke's reaction. The sight sent shivers down their spines simultaneously; murder colored his face, his mouth a hard line, his nostrils flaring. Suzumi could feel her heart in her throat at the idea of Haruka taken by the Osiris Brethren and she averted her eyes from the man's form.

Behind her, Soryu continued to speak. "They saw her taken to a room near the back of the house. A traditional room with a padlock on the door, it has a small window and tatami floors. Only one of them is allowed in that part of the house, so they aren't as familiar with the area. But it seems like it's near the family rooms."

"It had a lock on the door?" Suzumi asked, interrupting. She looked up and turned to Soryu, who raised a brow. He nodded in confirmation.

"That's what he said."

"There's only one room with a padlock on it. It's near Ren's rooms." She paused and looked at Eisuke from the corner of her eye. His cold eyes were watching her, but he remained silent. "That's the room I was kept in. People are taken to that room for one reason."

Eisuke tilted his head a fraction, staring hard at her.

"They're in that room to be broken by Ren. He's got to be good at something and that's it."

The air in the room seemed to get frostier with each word that Suzumi spoke, the men's eyes glued to every word that came from her mouth. After a set of heartbeats, Ota broke the silence with a firm voice.

"Ren was arrested the night of the auction. I don't think we have to worry about him at least."

Suzumi nodded. "Ren was good at drawing things out. What we need to worry about is Taichi." She turned fully back in her seat and looked Eisuke in the eye. "What do you want to do? Because I don't think you can stop Odaiba from being destroyed and get Haruka at the same time."

"Are you doubting me?" Eisuke's words were like thorns.

"I'm saying if you act now, you may get Haruka back but Odaiba will sink. If you wait, Haruka might suffer but you'll more than likely stop this terrorist plot. Rock and a hard place, Eisuke. Souma will kill her."

Eisuke narrowed his eyes, glaring. He glanced beyond her to Soryu. "Get Volkonsky. We plan now using the documents and Mamoru's intel. We have a plan by tonight." He looked to the others in the room, voice deep and deadly. "You all have half an hour. Get things in order and meet back here. Before tomorrow morning, we're going to have Haruka in this room alive and we'll ensure the Tres Spades is still standing."

"Lofty goals, Eisuke," Ota said skeptically. Kishi murmured an agreement and eyed the CEO.

A cruel smirk grew on his lips, eyes glinting. "Who do you think I am?"

/*\

Suzumi volunteered to get the Russian Volkonsky, who was staying on the 50th floor in the special suites. Soryu had walked her out of the lounge, pulling a keycard out of his breast pocket as he shut the door behind him.

"He's in room 5028. It's a corner room, take the left hall as soon as you get out of the elevators. It's at the end of the hall, right past an employee staircase." Soryu's face was blank, his voice low and empty as he spoke. He kept his eyes averted from hers, watching the hallway behind her.

Suzumi plucked the card from the man's fingers, gripping it tight. She hesitated a moment, deciding she needed to say it. "Are you okay, Soryu?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you worried about Haruka?"

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry. I _am_ worried about her. And the city. And you." He gently pulled her left arm close, cradling her braced wrist in one hand as his fingers ghosted over the fabric. "I thought the hotel was safe, but last night shows that isn't true right now. I don't really want you going by yourself."

"But the forty-eighth through fifty-second levels are accessible only with a special keycard. There's a smaller risk of something happening up here. I'm not going downstairs." Suzumi smiled softly. "I'll be fine." She put her hand on his, stilling his fingers. He twined them with his own, squeezing them gently before letting go.

"Hurry back. Grab your translations when you come back and we'll begin the meeting. Eisuke won't tolerate tardiness this time."

Suzumi nodded. "I'm on it." Taking her arm back from Soryu, she stepped away and, with a small smile, left for the elevators.

It took less than five minutes to get to Volkonsky's room. She knocked on his door a few times, calling out his name, with no answer. It was past seven, not too early to be up at this point. Using the keycard she'd been given, she swiped it and called out as she swung the door open. She could see a room service cart as she walked in to the room and couldn't help but laugh at the sight in front of her. The older Russian was enraptured with the performance on his television, standing dressed, sans suit jacket, in the center of the living room, eyes eating up the dancing and music on screen.

"Mr Volkonsky, do you know this music?"

Startled, he turned at the sound of Suzumi's voice, relaxing at the sight of the intruder only being her. Immediately, he turned back and watched the Revance taping on N-Station. "I don't know who this is. But their music is fun," he answered in Russian.

"They're Revance. A popular Japanese boy band." Suzumi kept to his native tongue, keeping in mind he'd naturally spoke to her in it instead of Japanese.

"Do they have a lot of songs? I'd like to take some back with me when I leave."

She nodded. "When this is all done, Soryu and I will take you to get their CDs."

"Excellent!"

The performance finished, transitioning into an interview and Volkonsky's attention focused on her.

"What can I do for you, Suzumi? We're not due to meet for a few more hours, yes?"

"Unfortunately, things have changed. Eisuke's girlfriend, Haruka Tachibana, has been kidnapped by the Brethren and we are unsure of what they'll do to her. We're meeting now to discuss how to approach it as well as the dangerous situation with the island."

Volkonsky's face darkened and he tossed the remote he had been holding onto the couch. "This is bad. They are not known for keeping hostages for very long."

Suzumi nodded in response.

"Let's go. I need to speak with that detective who has information as well as Eisuke. Haruka is a good girl. I met her in the lobby when I arrived with Soryu yesterday."

"We'll need to think of something quickly. Taichi Souma doesn't have a lot of patience."

Suzumi took Volkonsky to the lounge doors, asking him to go in ahead of her. She still had a few minutes before the meeting was supposed to start and she still needed to get her notes. He agreed to tell them where she was if they asked and said he would see her inside. When she went back to the suite, she gathered her papers and by chance happened to check the time on her cell. Taking a double glance, she saw that she had new emails. Opening the icon, she saw she had one message in the spam folder and, curious, she tapped on it to read. Still essentially a hermit to the outside world, she only got emails from the penthouse men, Luke, and Haruka. Something being filed as spam was odd and she gasped at what she saw.

A brief, cryptic message time stamped for seven am, just a half hour old. The subject line said Haruka and in the body of the message, it read,

_its me. they want to talk to eisuke. theyll call soon. its killing me to behave, so hurry. I stole one idiot's cell anddddddd-_

The message cut off, but she must have been able to hit send before whatever stopped her from finishing had gotten in the way. Sweeping the papers up in her arms, Suzumi dashed out of the suite and ran to the penthouse lounge to meet with the men and tell them about her message.

"Eisuke! Soryu!"

"You're late." Eisuke stood, arms crossed and glaring as she burst into the room. Soryu frowned, but paused seeing the frantic look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"I got an email from Haruka!"

"What?"

"When?"

Suzumi took a step back when both Eisuke and Soryu nearly ran to her. Blinking, she pulled out her phone from her pocket and pulled up the email. Handing the phone to Soryu, she explained.

"I happened to look at my phone and saw I had an email. I thought it was odd, so I opened it and saw the subject."

Eisuke read the screen over Soryu's shoulder, smirking.

"That's my girl," he muttered.

"Hm, this is recent. Who's email is this?"

Suzumi shrugged. "I assume it belongs to whoever she stole the cell phone from."

"I hope she didn't get in too much trouble over it, if it ended that abruptly," Baba thought aloud after Soryu read the email to the others.

Volkonsky sat in his chair, frowning. He looked deep in thought, stroking his beard carefully. "Haruka seems like a smart woman. Let's talk now so I can meet her properly tonight, yes?"

Everyone took a seat at the large table in the more formal part of the lounge. Similar to a dining table, it reminding Suzumi of an oversized CEO desk and, eyes flickering to Eisuke for a moment, wasn't at all surprised that this was in the room. The man sat at the head of the table, Soryu on his right and Volkonsky to his left. Suzumi took her seat next to Soryu and Ota sat on her right. Across from her, Baba settled in, taking off his hat and sitting it on the table in front of him. Kishi sat at the other end of the table, leaving the single seat near Ota and the two by Baba vacant.

"Let's discuss how I'm going to squash this cockroach," Eisuke began.

* * *

**A/N:** _Things are getting real now. I've come to a fork in the road for how I want the story to go. I have decisions to make. Should I go dramatic, or something more like a happy ending? Tell me your thoughts in a review!_

_Come hang out with me on Tumblr, I'm velvetcovered-brick. I spend random points in the day destressing there lately and I found some fun people in the fandom._

_Until next time,_

_itakethewords_


	23. Start A Fire

**Author's Note:** _Hey, everyone! I'll jibber jabber at the bottom. For now, don't forget to check out my special one shots for _Little Sparrow_, '_A Red String'_ and _'Bookworm'_. They're a fun look into what we haven't seen in the main story! Sorry I was gone for so long, but here I am!_

_As a reminder, the 65th reviewer will receive their own gift special story! We're close now, too. Just make sure you're signed in so that I can contact you with details. If you aren't signed in and are #65, the next person who is signed in and allows PMs gets it! Next milestone after that will be 80 reviews! So leave a review so I know your thoughts!_

**Disclaimer:** _I only own my own characters, Voltage INC owns the rest._

* * *

This is how the story went  
I met someone by accident  
Who blew me away  
And it was in the darkest of my days  
When you took my sorrow and you took my pain  
And buried them away, buried them away

**Hiding My Heart** \- Adele/Brandi Carlile

**Twenty-Three**

It took six hours of arguing, plotting, and solidification on their plans before Eisuke would let them go. The information Kishi had gathered had been the greatest resource in planning who would help them, who they could go to, and when they would move forward. There were dirty cops and politicians involved, exorbitant amounts of money trading hands, and foul promises being made behind the curtain and thanks to Kishi, the bidders and Volkonsky were well aware of the dangers. Towards the end of the meeting, Soryu had received a call from one of his moles within the Brethren, updating him on the status of Haruka. She was being kept in the same room Suzumi knew well and was given water. Other than a backhand at her cheek upon arrival, she was unharmed. And spitting mad. According to the insider, Taichi Souma was expecting Eisuke to call anytime and was ready to 'take him by the throat and lead him along', the man had said, quoting the gang head. Upon hearing this, Eisuke grinned cruelly and dismissed everyone. He pulled out his cell phone as he walked up the stairs to his 52nd floor suite.

"Soryu, I will go back to my room and begin calling in my men and the others from home. No doubt Ichinomiya is contacting the Brethren regarding his woman. I will contact you when I have details," Volkonsky came up next to Soryu and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked to Suzumi who stood on Soryu's right, giving her a grim smile.

"Take care, Suzumi. The end is near." Patting her on the head once, he left the lounge, pulling out his cell phone as he walked out.

Baba breezed past the two of them, slipping the notes he'd made in his breast pocket. "I'm off to check the areas Mamoru told us about. I want to see if the explosives have already been planted and if anyone on site knows anything." He gave a wave and followed the Russian out the door.

"Suzumi, let's go to the suite. We need to make a plan of our own." Soryu took her hand and started leading her to the door, but she paused.

"Shouldn't we see if Kishi needs help? Or Ota?"

"They're fine. No doubt the detective will nap, he's been out all night. Ota is going kiss ass and see if any of his patrons have intel. We need to go to the Ice Dragons."

Leaving the lounge, they made the short trip to their suite where they sat together on the couch. Suzumi took in the sight next to her, realizing just what time it was and how long they'd been awake. Soryu didn't exactly look put together; his suit was the same as the day before and he hadn't bothered with a tie and his hair wasn't slicked back in his usual style. She knew her own outfit wasn't exactly on point, either. She'd thrown on her jeans and a zippered jacket over her sleepwear and she knew the nest she called her hair was tangled beyond belief, pulled back into a haphazard ponytail. The looked every bit of an early morning thrown into chaos.

"Go ahead and take a shower, Suzumi. You'll feel better. I'm going to do the same." Soryu shed his jacket, tossing it across the arm of where they sat, glancing her way.

She nodded and stood slowly. "What happens next?"

"We'll go to the office next and get the Dragons on board. I also have something I need to show you just in case." Soryu stood and ran a hand through his hair wearily. Suzumi nodded and headed to her part of the suite.

/*\

Feeling much better after being able to clean up and put on decent clothes, Suzumi let out a sigh as she braided her hair. Her reflection showed her a somber looking woman, a frown cutting across her lips and her brow creasing her forehead. The worry she held for Haruka was palatable and she could barely keep her thoughts from the negative direction they kept heading towards. Another sigh and she stood from the dressing table chair, brushing off any lint and loose hairs on her floral print dress, and looked for sensible shoes that would work for her outfit. It took a moment of browsing through the boxes that she'd somehow accumulated thanks to the six men in her life before she found comfortable looking pale pink flats. Carrying them in one hand and her phone in the other, she headed for the living room and saw Soryu was nowhere to be found.

"Soryu?" she called out, padding over to his room, his door half closed. Peeking her head in, her mouth went dry at the sight in front of her.

The scene told her Soryu had taken the opportunity to also take a shower, but he was nowhere near ready like Suzumi. His lithe form was clad in only a towel slung around his hips, his back facing her was covered with drops of water, racing against gravity as they made trails down his skin. His corded arms were toweling his hair dry, muscles flexing as his arms and hands tousled his dark, damp hair. Suzumi could barely tear her eyes away from the broad line that was Soryu's shoulders and for the first time in almost a year, she could feel a fire lit within her. It was a heady feeling, one that had her gasping aloud, barely audible. Despite the whisper of air that escaped her lips, Soryu still heard the noise and turned slightly to face the door, pausing the movement of the towel on his head.

"Suzumi? Are you okay?"

Suzumi flushed, meeting his eyes and, after a moment, nodded and tried to look elsewhere. Nervous, she licked her suddenly dry lips and tried to pull her eyes away from the lines of his chest. "Yeah, I was just wondering where you were. You weren't in the living room."

"I called the office before I got in the shower. Had to call in everyone and have them ready," he explained, tossing the smaller towel on the bed. His eyes narrowed, watching Suzumi's movements. Her hand was gripping the doorknob tightly, her eyes were slowly watching his every movement, and her breathing, while subtle, was shallow. The flush on her cheeks confirmed his thoughts and he smirked. "Are you okay?" he repeated.

"Mhm," she murmured quietly, eyes darting up and meeting his.

Almost like a predator, Soryu walked over to the door and stopped inches from Suzumi. She could feel her eyes dilate, taking in the full frontal view of the man in front of her and, almost unconsciously, she was biting her lip and meeting his gaze once more. The smile on his face confirmed that she'd been caught ogling him and she could feel the heat radiating from her face, all the way to her ears.

"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

He placed a cool hand on her cheek as he peered into her eyes, his small smile still present. Pursing her lips in frustration, she smacked Soryu's chest.

"You know I'm not sick. You're terrible."

Grabbing her hand, Soryu held it against his skin, letting her feel his heartbeat. His other hand, still on her cheek, his thumb absentmindedly caressing the smooth skin with the lightest of touches. Leaning down, he ghosted his lips across hers once. When Suzumi let out a sigh, he laid his lips on hers again, giving a deeper kiss to satiate her.

"When we get Haruka back," he pulled back, his grey eyes meeting her brown, "and when Taichi gets his just rewards… You'll be mine?"

Without hesitation, Suzumi nodded, head leaning in to his touch. Soryu's smile grew slightly and, after leaving a peck on her forehead, he sighed and stepped back. Immediately, she noticed the lack of heat that he'd been radiating and felt bereft at the loss.

"Before we get distracted, I'm going to change. You're welcome to stay, but that might complicate things." Soryu looked over his shoulder, smirking. "Otherwise, I'll meet you in the living room in a few minutes." Not giving him an opportunity to tease her further, she immediately turned around and stomped off to the common area, fighting to cool the blush on her face.

Making a detour to the kitchen, Suzumi grabbed an apple and, after polishing it on the front of her dress, took a healthy bite. The tart, juicy flesh filled her mouth, making her realize she nor Soryu had eaten yet today. Her apple was long gone by the time the man on her mind came out of his bedroom, hair slicked back and a fresh, crisp suit clad on his body.

"Are you ready, Suzumi?"

Nodding, she bent down to slip on her shoes and slipped her cell in one of her hidden pockets in the skirt of her dress. "Yes, I'm ready."

Before Soryu opened the door, he surprised Suzumi with a peck on the lips and a devious smirk. Mouth open in surprise, her eyes watched as Soryu paused, licking his lips, looking thoughtful.

"You had a snack?"

She could only nod.

"Ask Samejima or Inui to get food for us. It won't do us any good to work on empty stomachs and this will take a while."

Face morphing back into a more serious poker mask, Soryu opened the suite door and, after taking her by her free hand, lead Suzumi to the elevators. The ride in the small box was quiet. Soryu stood, stoic with his arms crossed and Suzumi, after tapping out her message to Inui, gripped her cell phone with a nervous energy. Imagining the reactions of the Ice Dragons sent a chill down her spine. Whether it was fear or anticipation, she couldn't tell which, but she stood next to Soryu with her back straight and just an inch between their arms.

/*\

It was after dinnertime that Suzumi saw the results from the sharp orders Soryu barked all day.

She worked in tandem with him, filling in various Ice Dragons when Soryu was busy as they came in, sending them his way when they'd been briefed. She also fielded phone calls from the other men in the penthouse, passing messages along between them and Soryu. At one point, Eisuke was barking at her to give the mobster the phone, his words sharp like blades. The phone call between the two lasted nearly ten minutes before Soryu sent a team of twenty out, armed with guns and bloodlust in their eyes.

After picking at her food while sitting at Soryu's desk shortly after dusk, Suzumi found herself thumbing through some forgotten papers he had left on his desk. One looked like a personnel file and she saw her name repeated a few times. But before she could stop to read the full pages, she paused, hearing a noise cut through the almost silent office. She'd been left alone save Samejima and two others, Satoshi and Samon, and the sudden noise nearly had her jumping out of her skin. Mixed in the shouts of various Dragons, she could hear the commanding voices of Eisuke and Soryu. Dropping the forgotten file, she stood and poked her head out of Soryu's office and gasped.

"Let me down, Eisuke! This is embarrassing…"

Haruka was being carried bridal style into the living room of the Ice Dragons by one Eisuke Ichinomiya. Her face was flushed with embarrassment as the man carried her like a china doll and sat her gingerly on the couch. His face remained hard, his mouth turned down in anger. Haruka held her right arm close to her chest and looked around at her surroundings, making eye contact with Suzumi.

"What happened?" Suzumi asked, coming out and grabbing the first aid kit from the bathroom and coming to sit next to the other woman. Reaching out, she held out her hands to Haruka and waited for her to give her arm over.

"Eisuke and the others came to the Souma house," Haruka began, but was cut off by the businessman standing over her.

"I went for what was mine." His voice was a low growl, his arms crossing. "One of those fools hurt her in the process and the Ice Dragons took care of it."

Suzumi looked up from the strange wound on Haruka's forearm, pausing midway through disinfecting it. She ignored the wince the woman made from the sting and met Soryu's eyes. He sighed and answered her unvoiced question.

"A bullet grazed her arm as we were leaving. We thought we'd cleared the path by her room but we were seen."

"I'm fine. It just stings a little. Suzumi is helping me already, I'll be fine by morning, even," Haruka tried to use a calming voice, but the tension didn't leave anyone's shoulders.

Suzumi looked back down and applied a salve to the wound before wrapping it in bandages. The bullet hadn't entered her flesh, just scoring the skin and leaving a flesh burning mark along her skin and muscle. She was going to need an actual doctor look at the wound, but this would indeed take care of her for the time being, staving off any infection. She reminded her as she packed up the kit.

"Go to the doctor in the morning. Call one, something. I don't want you getting worse because I wasn't a very good nurse."

"I have my men who were injured at the Kujo residence getting taken care of. I will call him for Haruka," Soryu said, pulling out his phone and looking at Eisuke. The man nodded and watched every move Haruka made on the couch as the Dragons surrounding them went back to business as usual.

"She can't go to the hospital with a bullet wound and not expect something to be looked into. That's why we have Mamoru," Eisuke said, glaring at the bandage on his girlfriend's arm before glancing at Suzumi. "Kujo is a good man. I'll accompany her. Someone will have to make sure the wrong hands don't get on her again."

Soryu nodded. "I'll send Kento with you as guard. Just tell me when you're going. Kujo said any time."

"Were a lot of men hurt?" Suzumi asked, standing to put away the kit. She looked around and saw no one seemed particularly worried or on edge as they had hours before. Only Eisuke wore a stiff face, one harder than Soryu's usual business visage. The two ignored her question and went to Soryu's office, speaking in hushed tones.

"No, the shooting only happened as we left. Our spies had given us times and locations of what everyone was up to. It wasn't until we were leaving that we were caught. No one was gravely injured, just flesh wounds for a couple of the guys." Akira came out and handed both Suzumi and Haruka mugs of tea, answering her question. "Thanks for worrying, Miss Suzumi." He left the room, calling for one of the others.

Haruka gently sat her mug on the table in front of her, turning to look at Suzumi. "It happened so quickly, start to finish, I was surprised. But I'm glad it did end quickly." There was a pregnant pause as she seemed to think over her next words. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Suzumi tilted her head for a moment, but nodded her consent. "Yes, go ahead." She had a feeling she knew the topic.

"The room I was kept in… Was that where you were…" She seemed to be having a hard time putting her thoughts into words. Something that was hard to believe for the more opinionated woman.

"That's where I lived when I was with the Soumas, yes," Suzumi said bluntly. She saw Haruka visibly shudder and smiled softly. "Nothing happened to you, right?"

She shook her head in response. "No, not particularly. My smart mouth got me smacked when I first was taken and they were a little rough when I was escorted but other than that I was left alone."

"Good."

"Haruka, we're leaving." Eisuke came back into the room with little warning, striding over to stand in front of the woman. He held out his hand and waited for her to take it. "Let's head back to the Tres Spades before we get you looked over. I have to talk with Baba."

Suzumi watched as the two left, taking in their behavior. Eisuke was still as starched and razor sharp as ever, but there was a tension in his shoulders that was missing from the morning and his eyes were perpetually drawn back to Haruka. The woman in question, while strong and constantly denying help from others, was taking the opportunity to lean on Eisuke as they headed out to his car. After they drove off, she went back to Soryu's office to see him leaning on his desk, browsing through the file she had been glancing at herself.

"Soryu?"

"Hmm? Oh, Suzumi. Ready to go? I have something I want to show you." He gathered the file and began walking to the door.

"Show me?" she asked, curious.

Soryu nodded and grabbed her hand as he walked past, dragging her gently to the back exit. "I have the car waiting out back."

The ride was silent, the lights of the car interior cast green shadows along Soryu's face. The folder that he'd brought with them had been tucked in the glove compartment for the duration of the trip. At one point, during a stop at a red light, he reached over and squeezed her hands, folded on her lap, in a gesture of comfort. When she looked up from her lap, she could see a small smile on the man's lips. Noting landmarks and certain streets, she took in the area where he took her. Twenty minutes later, he pulled into a secluded garage and, after grabbing the folder, lead her into a secure brick building.

"Where are we?" Suzumi asked as Soryu unlocked a door. They both walked into a dark room, their footsteps echoing along what seemed to be hardwood flooring.

"Let me get the lights," he murmured, disappearing from her side for a moment. A few rapid heartbeats later, light flooded the room and, after blinking a few times, Suzumi could see they were standing in a handsomely furnished condo. Between the bookshelves lining the walls and the dark leather furniture just in the living room alone, she could immediately tell the room was Soryu's tastes.

"Is this… Is this your place?" she asked hesitantly, glancing his way. She could see the flush he was trying to ignore crawl up his cheeks as he shed his jacket and tossed the folder on the coffee table.

"Yes. It's been a few weeks since I've been by. Honestly, months I'm sure. It's been busy," he added ruefully with a grin. "Relax, have a seat. I can get you something to drink if you want?"

Suzumi shook her head. "I'm good, thanks. Why are we here?" She sat on the couch and eyed the folder in front of her. Soryu took the spot next to her on the couch and was surprisingly quiet. It wasn't like him to beat around the bush. Giving him a sidelong glance, she could see he was rubbing the back of his neck, like he often did when uncomfortable or nervous.

"You recall I've had my people looking into you since I bought you, yes?" Suzumi nodded and he continued. "The other day, one of the spies came across information in the Souma household and passed it down the line so that it made its way to Samejima. It's something that I feel you should see, no matter how difficult it may be to realize." He slid the folder to the edge of the table and tapped it once.

Gingerly, Suzumi reached out for the folder and, after hesitating for a moment, flipped the cover open to begin reading the first page. It read like all the other reports she'd been gifted months ago, those that detailed her past and the whereabouts of her mother and the like. It was dry, but had none of the unbiased wording like that of the Ice Dragons' findings from before. This file had been compiled by someone else and read more like a business report, like a contract with extra details. The report mentioned her family name multiple times and the specific name mentioned the most was her father's, Kiyonori Takara. It seemed that her father had run into money trouble several years before and had gone to the wrong sort of people for help. The Osiris Brethren type of people. They drew up a contract with him, giving him all the help he needed monetarily and even in men and in return, he had to pay back the agreed amount in full within five years. If the money and any interest accrued had been paid off, Kiyonori and his family could walk away and never worry about the Brethren again unless help was needed once more. If not, then the contract called for collateral, a trade in for the money and labor owed. Kiyonori's agreed trade should he default was his daughter, Natsumi Takara.

Suzumi stopped reading, fighting off the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Resting the back of her hand against her mouth, she tried to control her breathing and the tell tale prickle at the corners of her eyes. Despite her best efforts, the words on the pages blurred, slipping from her fingers and fluttering to the ground and at her feet.

"Suzumi."

Soryu watched her face as she'd read, transforming from confusion to surprise, surprise to anger, and anger to horror as the realization hit home. As the pages cut through the air and landed on the floor, he couldn't help but call her name and pull her close. Her face turned pale and he could only imagine the emotions that were churning inside her. He could feel his chest become wet as she allowed herself to cry and he whispered softly in her ear.

"I'm so sorry, Suzumi."

"He sold me…" she murmured, sniffling through her tears. Her shoulders shook and he could feel her try and take a breath. "I wasn't just randomly kidnapped. I was sold for twenty thousand dollars and some cheap labor!"

She sobbed more into Soryu's shirt, clutching tightly at the fabric. She swore she could feel her heart break as she thought more about her father's betrayal and the implications of his actions that lead her to her fate. She'd loved her father more than anyone else as a child and to learn this information shattered her. Soryu graciously let her cling to him until she decided she was too exhausted to continue. When she felt as though she had no more tears, she steadied her breathing and, after a moment, leaned away from the mobster and glanced up.

Soryu's face was soft, a look of compassion and empathy as he looked down at her and she leaned in to the hand he laid on her cheek, taking in the cool touch against her hot skin. She closed her puffy eyes and sighed, relishing in his touch. The fact that he'd kept this information from her for a few days didn't bother her; he must have had a hard time trying to find a way to bring it up and she felt bad that he had to keep it from her for as long as he had.

"I'm sorry, Soryu. I might have ruined your shirt," she whispered, opening her eyes once more as he chuckled.

"Of all the things you could have said, I didn't expect that," he said softly, smiling somewhat awkwardly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Suzumi nodded and pulled away, sitting up straight on the couch, and looked down at the papers at her feet. She didn't bother to pick them up just yet. "That's fine. It's not like you were keeping it from me. Was there any indication that my mother knew?"

"That, we don't know. Given that your parents divorced and your mother's move to the U.S., it's possible she found out and left him. Then again, there are other factors. And those include the idea that she still doesn't know what your father did. We did find out that your father had massive debt from gambling and that's why he borrowed against the Osiris Brethren. He owed multiple people who had harder, more immediate demands and he used the Brethren to pay them off." Soryu frowned. "He found a terrible group to work with. Even the Dragons would have helped him and offered different terms. Given the situation, I don't think your father thought he wouldn't be able to pay them back. But the odds were stacked against him."

Suzumi didn't respond to his theory and kept her eyes downward.

Reaching out, Soryu took Suzumi's chin between his fingers and drew her gaze until her eyes met his. She could feel his cool fingers drag from her chin to her cheek, back to her lips and blushed slightly. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

There was a pause. "I have to be."

She hated the frown that her words fostered on his face, but she couldn't take them back. They were true and they both knew it.

"I wish you didn't have to say that," he whispered.

Suzumi shrugged and gave him a small, halfhearted smile. "Why did you bring me here? Just for the papers? We could have done that at the suite."

Soryu shook his head. "I wanted you to know about this place. In case anything happens. I saw you were paying attention on the way here. I can give you directions for you to remember too. And you'll have a key. Most of the Dragons don't know about my condo, just a handful. And the other men in the penthouse don't. As far as I'm aware, at least. If they do, they respect my privacy here if nowhere else. This is a safe place for me, for us."

Meeting his once again, she took in the serious look in his grey eyes and felt a tingle run down her spine. The absolute trust that Soryu was giving her nearly brought her to tears for a second time that night, but she fought off the sensation. Realizing that she was gaping like a fish at the man in front of her, she did the first thing that came to mind. Standing, she took his face in both of her hands and kissed him hard on the mouth. The moment he got past his stunned surprise and tried to reciprocate, she broke the connection and rested her forehead on his.

"Thank you, Soryu," she whispered. "Wait, what? Soryu!"

Startled, she shouted as he stood abruptly and hoisted her up into his arms. Carrying her with an arm under her legs and the other supporting her back, she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck as he began walking from the living room to a different part of the condo.

"Soryu, what are you doing?"

"It's time for bed. Before you play around too much. Besides, it's late." His voice was low, gruffer than his usual tone. Peaking a glance down at his partially hidden face, she could see the heat on his cheeks and smiled.

No matter the situation, Soryu seemed to get embarrassed when she surprised him spontaneously. His bashful reactions and attempts to control himself were a step apart from the cool mobster persona he kept and she was happy she got to see them. She was partially embarrassed herself that she was able to elicit those reactions from him, mostly because she didn't realize she was doing them until it was too late.

"I can walk, you know."

He ignored her and continued to walk down the hall and into another room, one with a large bed, though not as large as his back in the Tres Spades suite. He flipped a switch on the wall and hurried to the bed where he sat, keeping Suzumi in his arms. When she attempted to leave his lap, he pulled her close.

"Today was very nerve wracking. Nothing serious happened, but entering someone's compound like that with a small amount of men, we only had the information from the spies but were otherwise blind. Seeing the room where you were kept… I felt a rage. One I haven't felt before." Soryu's lips brushed Suzumi's ear as he spoke, as if he was afraid of the walls hearing his words. "It was nearly as small as a closet. I thought I could hear your voice echo in the room. There were marks on the tatami, were they from you?"

Suzumi thought back, trying to place moments where she could have damaged the floor, and nodded. "Some, I'm sure."

"There was a bloodstain on the wall, as well."

"Yeah.. That's Ren's blood. That was the first time I shoved him off of me. He hit his head."

A fraction of tension left his body under her and he fell back on the bed, bringing her with him. Her upper body was draped on his, held close by his hands on her hips. Trying to shift herself to something a bit more comfortable, she put her hands on his chest and laid her chin on his heart. The beating that thumped in her ears calmed her just as her answers helped him.

"We may have gone too far with some things," Soryu admitted, rubbing a hand across his face.

"What do you mean?"

"We'll just have to see what's on the news in the morning. But it can't be traced and anything that does come up, the slacker will catch. Eisuke has him working overtime for us." Soryu's lips split into a cold smirk and Suzumi only raised a brow.

He sighed, his hands gripping her waist tightly for a moment before relaxing. "Volkonsky will have most of his men here by morning and others of the Bratva factions will be in by evening. Things will happen before the end of the week, I'm sure. We're pushing their plans forward, they have to know we know something by now. Are you afraid?"

His question made her feel different things. She was surprised he asked it, but at the same time, it was very much a Soryu-type of question. She'd become used to his straightforward questions he posed to her, questions she knew he wouldn't ask a regular innocent at this point. Of course she was scared, she was human. But oddly, she didn't feel as much fear as she thought she would given the situation.

"Yeah. But it will be fine."

He raised a brow, meeting her look head on from his position from under her. "Why do you say that?"

"A feeling I have." She shrugged. "Odaiba isn't going to sink and I won't let anyone see the Ice Dragons as the bad guys."

"Oh, you won't?" he asked, amused at her assertive determination. He ran a hand through her hair affectionately.

Suzumi sat up, sliding off of Soryu's lap and, leaning one arm on the bed, she hovered over his form, taking in the sight he made. Shirt wrinkled, hair no longer slicked back and completely disheveled, and a tender look on his face. He looked every inch an average man in love and it made Suzumi smile at the thought. "You've done a lot for me, Soryu. It's the least I could do."

Sitting up straight, she took in the room and wasn't all that surprised to see several more bookshelves along with dark wood furniture and colors of blue and cream. Absentmindedly, she wondered who'd done the decorating and known Soryu so well, but brushed the thought aside as she rolled across the bed and sat near the top by the pillows and smiled sweetly.

"Are we going to sleep? Because I thought you said you didn't want to play games?"

Soryu sighed loudly, and, after rubbing his face again, chuckled. "You're ridiculous. You can use the shower if you want. I'll grab you something to change into while you're in there."

"Oh. Okay, sure." Given the change of scenery, she hadn't thought about the usual routine, but she was glad for it, though slightly startled at the complete change of topic. Scooting off the bed, she waited for him to follow and let him lead her to the door across the hall.

"I'll bring in the clothes and leave them here in the changing room. Call for me if you need anything." He pat her on the head and left her to her own devices, eyes lingering for just a moment on her face before leaving the room with a click of the door.

Turning on the tap to let the bath begin to fill, Suzumi wondered what exactly Soryu was talking about when he mentioned that their actions may end up on the news. Obviously they hadn't killed Taichi, that would have caused more of a stir within the circle and there wouldn't have been a need for Volkonsky's men to still come. Knowing that Eisuke had something to do with it, it more than likely meant that it lit a larger fire under the Souma patriarch and was going to cause more trouble down the road. Sighing, she began to undress and unwind her body from the tension of the day. Between the nervous energy she'd held from her time at the hotel and office, and the learning of her father's sins, she was exhausted and hoped a bath would help.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she saw the promised clothing waiting for her on the counter. After blow drying her hair and dressing for the night, she padded back across the hall and saw Soryu sitting in bed, reading what looked to be a detective novel.

"Finished?" he asked, looking up as she quietly came back in the room. His eyes followed her all the way to the bed, taking in the sight she made. Bare legs, she wore her underwear under his borrowed shirt, many sizes too large. The dark, long sleeved shirt went mid-thigh and she had to roll the sleeves up past her wrists to keep the extra material from completely covering her hands.

"Yeah, it's ready for you now," she said, climbing into the bed. She watched as he placed as bookmark to save his spot in his novel and walked out of the room, hearing the click of the bathroom door once more. Glancing at the title, she saw it was one of the popular detective series novels on the bestsellers list and grinned. His slight obsession with detective novels and television shows was adorable given his profession and she couldn't bite back her smile.

Half an hour later, Soryu finished his own bath and went back to the room, surprised to see Suzumi slumped over in bed, still above the covers, his book in her hands. By the looks of it, as he peered down directly at her, she'd gotten about twenty pages in before her exhaustion overtook her will to wait up for him. Carefully, he took the book from her fingers and marked her page as well, setting the book aside on the nightstand and taking in the sight of her to determine how to not wake her. She'd fallen asleep and fallen to the side almost like a doll, looking tiny in his clothes and utterly tempting with the way the hem had inched upward in her position, crawling higher on her legs. He cursed to himself and tried to pull the blankets from under her.

After a few minutes, he was successful and managed to shift her body so that she was in a more comfortable position. Crawling into bed himself, Soryu immediately pulled her close to him, snaking his arm around to hug her from behind. As sleep took him as well, he could feel the faint touch of Suzumi's hand meet his on her stomach and her lacing her fingers with his.

* * *

**A/N:** _So here is the jibber jabber that's optional to read. _

_Sorry updating took so long. I was actually really sick. Like, hospital sick. About a month ago, I hurt myself really bad, was paralyzed for a hot minute, and wasn't able to do much of anything but lay or sit in one position doing nothing. I've been slowly rehabilitating myself. I spent my time reading manga family got me, browsing Tumblr, and plotting this story in my mind but I was so scatterbrained, I didn't get far. I'm still not 100% but I'm able to continue with life how it mostly used to be. Bare with me, everyone. Daily I thought to myself how much I suck for not updating this for what, more than a month? Just about a month, so yeah. Sorry._

_Leave lovely reviews for me so I can write another side story and update this sooner. This is chapter twenty three and if I write this how I plan, I think we'll get just past thirty chapters when it finishes._

_If you wish to have conversations with me or just have fun with Voltage nonsense, find me on Tumblr as velvetcovered-brick._

_Until next time!_

_itakethewords_


	24. Searching

**Author's Note:** _Hello! Another chapter for you! It's coming from sunny Los Angeles, where I am currently on vacation! Some good news, as well as this new chapter, is that we hit 65 reviews last chapter so a new side story is coming soon! Next milestone for another fan gift is 80 reviews. So when we hit 80 reviews, the person who gave that 80th review will receive a gift from me in the form of a story written for them!_

_As a reminder, the character of Mr. Volkonsky is from a Soryu side story in KBTBB, I didn't just make him up. Though almost everyone else is._

_Don't forget to leave a review when you have finished writing. I like to see how much people like where I'm going with this. But, as I've said since the beginning, I'm writing this because I'm having fun and like reading it for myself._

_**Disclaimer:** I own my own characters and plot, Voltage owns the rest._

* * *

It began with an ending.  
Hey! We were fighting for the world.  
Hey! My desire never ending.

**The Race** \- 30 Seconds to Mars

**Twenty Four.**

Surprisingly, Suzumi found herself awake before Soryu the next morning. It was still early, they'd gone to bed late but not as late as they had been in the last week or so. The sun was barely out and the light peeking through the bedroom windows was pale and peachy against her squinting eyes. As she laid there and her mind cleared itself of its sleepy haze, she started to become more aware of her surroundings. The rich dark accents and furniture in the room came into focus and, after seeing the recognizable titles of various detective series on the bookshelves, she remembered that she was in Soryu's condo. The more awake she became, the more she became aware of the warmth permeating her back, the arm that her head was resting on, and the hand that was gently resting on her breast.

Eyes widening and her consciousness fully awake, Suzumi sucked in a breath and looked down. Soryu's familiar hand was resting on her breast, over the soft fabric of her borrowed sweater. Turning her head slightly, she could see she was surrounded by Soryu's entire form and she could feel his body down to their legs under the covers. Her immediate reaction had been to tense up, her body rebelling against the idea of having someone close. But upon realizing it was Soryu who surrounded her in warmth, she immediately relaxed. Though, she eyed his hand speculatively, unsure if she wanted to move it. Moving it meant she'd more than likely wake him and he needed all the sleep he could get with the way things were going. Leaving his hand, she wasn't quite sure if she could handle it first thing in the morning but she took a deep breath and, after letting it out, decided to leave it for just a little longer. It was early, but not that early. He'd wake up soon. Probably.

She didn't have to wait too much longer for him to move his hand. Less than fifteen minutes of a wait with her heart racing, Soryu pulled his hand away. He seemed to still be asleep, his hand shifting down to her waist. The new position allowed Suzumi to risk turning over in the bed, her desire to watch Soryu sleep winning out on any other sensible ideas. Slowly, she shifted until she was facing the mafia king, looking at his sleeping face just a mere inches away. It always fascinated her with how innocent and relaxed Soryu was when he was unconscious. His normally stoic face was completely slack, his hair disheveled and lacking any product, and his lips parted just a touch. She could feel his breath escape and caress the side of her neck and gooseflesh sprung up on her neck and back. She felt privileged to see a vulnerable Soryu, a side that the Ice Dragons and the men of the penthouse didn't see.

She was aware of it for some time. That she loved Soryu.

For far longer than she wanted to admit, really. Because at first, she feared it was just attachment for taking her out of a bad situation, a form of Stockholm Syndrome. But even as she became more comfortable in her own skin once more, as well as with the men who she now called friends surprisingly, she was able to differentiate between infatuation and love. The thought brought a blush to her cheeks and she buried her face in his chest, taking in his scent while not bothering to stop her smile. The arm on her waist drew her in closer and the combination of Soryu's warmth and the safe feeling surrounding her made her eyes droop sleepily. She was hardly aware of her consciousness slipping away as she thought to herself, _I love this._

It was the soft, lingering sensation on her neck that woke her up. As she slowly opened her eyes, the realization that she'd fallen back asleep dawned on her. Intending to get up, Suzumi froze when she put into focus the sensation that still danced across her neck and jawline. She attempted to look down, but the puzzle pieces came together as she saw the messy morning mop of hair that belonged to Soryu and felt his breath dance along her skin, trailing with his lips.

"Good morning," he whispered, his voice husky from sleep. His lips made a trail from the base of her throat to her chin, landing on hers with a peck.

"Mm, good morning," Suzumi said quietly. "What time is it?"

"Almost seven. We can sleep a little longer if you want." Soryu looked at her and smiled softly.

Suzumi returned his smile, taking in the still sleepy look his face carried. This was a rare moment, seeing him so unguarded. She wanted to savor every aspect before they faced what waited for them outside the condo.

"So, are you awake just now or were you earlier, too?" Suzumi giggled, thinking back to when she'd woken up earlier.

Soryu frowned and tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I woke up earlier. Maybe an hour ago. You were holding me close and had your hands in some interesting places." Suzumi blushed but kept with her teasing, unable to hold back her grin.

"Like where?" Soryu flushed and she could only imagine what was going through his head. At least one scenario had to be correct and his face turned redder by the moment.

Unable to hold back an outright laugh, Suzumi chuckled and brought her hand out from the covers to rest on top of his "This thing was on my chest. It looked right at home." She narrowed her eyes and raised a brow, pretending to be suspicious.

Soryu sputtered and he looked away in embarrassment. "I apologize, Suzumi." He made to try and bow his head while lying down and she stopped him.

"Soryu, I'm fine. First, we were both asleep. Second, if I had been upset, I would have moved it." It was her turn to blush deeply and she averted her eyes.

Soryu's face was blank for a moment as he processed what she said to him. When it all clicked, his face broke back into a smile and he put his forehead against hers. "Suzumi."

Suzumi brought her eyes back to meet his and she locked gazes with the mob man. The warmth and happiness and something extra that came from his look made her swoon on the inside and she wondered just when it was that she'd become a normal woman again, unafraid of a look like this one. The warmth spreading through her body made her happy and excited.

"What's made you so affectionate this morning?" she asked, pulling away slightly and propping her head up with her arm.

Soryu sighed and suddenly pulled her close, burying his face in the mass she called her hair. She could feel his deep breaths and the curve of his lips against her neck. His muffled voice came from deep within her hair, but it was unintelligible.

"Soryu?"

He waited a moment, a hot sigh escaping him before he pulled himself away from her and sat up. His eyes met hers with a mix of affection and he took her hand in his larger one, holding on tightly.

"This is very different for me. This rush I get when I look at you, the constant need I have to protect you and hold you close. That I'm proud of you when you defend yourself and how close you've gotten with Eisuke and the others. How badly I want to strip you down and have my way with you." He diverted his eyes as a faint blush appeared in his cheeks and Suzumi took the chance to sit up in the sheets. She kept her fingers twined with his and waited and he spoke again.

"I'm not prepared for all these emotions that come with love. I don't know how to handle them. I don't mind it, though. I especially wouldn't if we didn't have such a dangerous situation at hand that we had to worry about. Does it seem wrong to want to give you good memories? That I want you to feel safe and loved?"

Suzumi shook her head. "Soryu, no."

"I want you to know how much I love you. Just in case…"

"Nothing is going to happen, Soryu," she said firmly, frowning. She squeezed their joined hands to punctuate her words.

"I know. Just contingency plans." Soryu's face had morphed back into his serious mob mask, his mind venturing towards dangerous territory.

Suzumi watched the emotions he had tried to convey as they flashed in his grey eyes. He wasn't necessarily a man of many words, what he'd said today we're far greater in number and poignancy than most of what they'd ever discussed. Knowing how serious he was made her heart swell and she found herself sitting up on her knees, grabbing his face between her hands and kissing him soundly on the mouth.

His surprised grunt had her smiling against his mouth and she ran one hand through his silken hair while her fingers of the other hand lightly caressed his cheek. It took less than a breath for Soryu to respond, his own lips pushing against hers eagerly. Breath mingling as they progressed from her initial playful pecks to a deeper entanglement, Suzumi sighed contentedly as his hands found her waist and the heat from his hands sunk past her sweater to her skin. The way he clung to the material of the sweater, inching it upward a little sent her heart into double time. Leaning in to get closer, she moved her hand from his face to his shoulder and lightly dug her nails into his bare skin. She'd done so well trying to ignore how he'd gone to bed half naked, almost as if teasing her, being able to put her hands on his taught skin thrilled her and she showed him with the light indents she left in his skin.

Involuntarily, she let out a mewl as he bit her lower lip. When he tried to pull back, she fixed him in place with the hand in his hair and deepened their kiss, running her tongue on his lips before meeting his in a tangle. Feeling bold from the adrenaline and heady pheromones between them, she crawled into his lap and pressed her chest against his. Soryu's arm automatically wrapped around her, forearm resting under her behind and his hand and fingers playing with the skin of her thigh.

"Soryu," she breathed, pulling back to gasp for air.

Soryu grunted. "More," his voice hummed across her face, sending a shiver down her spine as he brought her back to his mouth. Suzumi took his top lip between her teeth and pulled gently, nibbling on the tender and swollen flesh. His response was to pull her down completely onto his lap and grind the bulge in his sweatpants against her barely clothed center. She arched into him and moaned. They both parted at the mouth, foreheads resting on one another, exchanging hot breath as they stared into one another's eyes, searching.

"Soryu…" Suzumi began breathlessly but was cut off by the sound of a ringing cell phone.

"Ignore it," Soryu muttered, bringing his lips to her neck, teeth raking across her skin. When she sighed at the sensation, he repeated himself before sucking on her pulse point.

However, the phone continued to ring, followed by a second cell beginning to trill. Whoever was calling, they were determined that Soryu or Suzumi pick up. Suzumi pulled away, feeling him sigh against her skin.

"Let me go see who's calling," she said, trying to reign in her breathing. Biting her lip, she glanced at Soryu for a moment before climbing off the bed and hurrying into the living room where they'd abandoned their phones the night before. Fanning her face, she glanced at the screens and saw Mr Volkonsky had been calling Soryu and Eisuke's name lighting up her own. Soryu's quieted first, but Eisuke continued to an onslaught of calls on hers so she answered the phone with hesitation.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?"

Typically Eisuke, he bypassed formalities and any politeness and went straight to the point. His voice, however, was tight and low, tension evident. Much more tense than he usually was and anger laced his words.

"Uhm, I'm with Soryu."

"Obviously," he said dryly. "Where are the two of you? It's nearly nine and all of Volkonsky's men have come. The rest of the Bratva will be here in a few hours."

Suzuki gasped, eyes widening. The time had gotten away from the both of them and instead of having plenty of time, they were now running behind schedule in getting back to the Tres Spades. "Oh no! I'm so sorry… The time… Ugh!" A slight panic lit behind her words and she spoke.

"Relax. Give the phone to Soryu," Eisuke said, his voice softening a fraction.

"Sor-"

"I'm right here," she heard from behind. Whipping around, she watched him walk into the room, nearly dressed for the day. He was buttoning his navy colored shirt as he spoke, face impassive. "What do you need?"

She handed him her cell phone. "Eisuke wants to speak with you. We're late…"

Soryu scratched the back of his neck and took the phone. As he put it to his ear, he murmured, "Go get dressed. We'll leave in a few minutes."

Before she walked away, she could hear Eisuke on the other line exclaiming loudly. "Get dressed? Soryu, where did you go last night? Another hotel?"

Suzumi flushed in embarrassment and scurried off to the bedroom where her clothes were waiting for her. As she ducked into the room, she could hear Soryu try to explain why it took them so long while bypassing the truth. The embarrassed look on his face had her smiling despite the feeling akin to being caught coming home by a parent the next morning they had to both be feeling. Finding her clothes on top if Soryu's dresser, she stripped off her borrowed sweater and threw back on her own clothes. After quickly washing up in the bathroom, she came back out to the living room and found Soryu on his own phone, talking to Volkonsky regarding the plan for today.

"Yes, I apologize. We're both heading to the Tres Spades now. We should be there in a half hour or so. Mm. The news? It's on already? I'll take a look, yes. Thank you." When he looked up, Soryu saw Suzumi come into the room and he gave her a grin. "Let's watch the news before we head out."

Cocking her head to the side, she looked at him quizzically. "Is this the thing you mentioned last night?"

Soryu only continued to give her a crooked grin as he picked up a remote and pointed it at the television on the wall. The screen flashed on, lighting up the room. After changing the channel a few times, Soryu stopped on the morning news, which was mid-report.

"The house, which was built during the Edo period, caught aflame sometime after nine pm, the cause is not yet known and firefighters and inspectors have yet to determine a solid cause. Those in the neighborhood say due to the age of the structure, electrical is very likely as it has happened in the past. The fire was concentrated in the oldest wing of the house and only two are suffering from smoke inhalation, no one died from the incident. Kyoko?" The male newscaster looked to the woman next to him, signaling the changing news story and with that, Soryu turned the television off, crossing his arms after tossing the remote to the table.

Suzumi stared open mouthed at the dark screen. She was easily able to connect the dots and it didn't take a genius to realize it had been Soryu and Eisuke's raid to the Souma house that caused the old house to catch on fire. The question was, who did it?

"So… This might seem like a random question, maybe even something unnecessary to know… But who struck the match, so to speak?"

Soryu had walked over to where he'd left his blazer and, after glancing briefly her way, he threw it on before answering. "I think you can guess. I don't have a particular affinity for fire, myself."

"So Eisuke was being dramatic?"

"Just a little. But they took Haruka and I would have thought most people knew by now not to mess with anything he's marked his territory on. Ready to go?"

Suzumi nodded and went to the door to put on her shoes. When she looked up, she saw the tender look from earlier on her boyfriend's face for a moment. "What?" she asked, a little bashfulness creeping into her voice.

"Nothing. Let's head out before Eisuke finds us and sets my condo on fire," Soryu teased, opening the door for her and following close behind.

/*\

"Got some news," Kishi said, blowing smoke from his mouth as he held his cigarette. He looked to Eisuke who sat, arms crossed and stern glare affixed on his face, watching the detective speak. He nodded to the man before continuing. "The amount of people who actually want to see the Tres Spades get taken down is pretty high. We already knew this. But the number of them in on this fucked up plan with the Osiris Brethren is unreal. It's nearly a government sanctioned mass murder. Dozens of politicians, diplomats, civil servants, businessmen. The list has nearly four dozen supporters in manpower or money. It's basically all setup and ready to go. Not sure what specific event or thing they're waiting on."

"If they are ready, it's suspicious that they didn't plan to act for two weeks." Volkonsky tapped his chin, looking over the papers Kishi had passed out. "Soryu, did you have any plans upcoming with the Ice Dragons?" He looked to the man in question, who was pacing behind the couch where Suzumi, Ota, and Kishi sat.

Soryu paused to think for a moment, eyes staring into the distance. "I planned on new recruiting and training next month. I have more men coming from Hong Kong for training and I'm sending a batch to a headquarters in Europe."

"Then you have a spy who leaked this."

"If it's who I think it was, they're already taken care of." Soryu's face hardened to stone, his jaw set. Suzumi shivered at the sight.

Ota finally spoke up, holding up a notebook. "Surprise, surprise, I have some shady patrons who are also included. Two or three told me where some of the explosives are. Under the bridge that connects Odaiba to the main island, several police stations, libraries, a school. If the locations are right, there's a specific pattern to where they laid them out."

"Where? I have some places too," Baba said leaning close from his seat.

Volkonsky passed the map they were using to the artist and the group watched as both Ota and Baba plotted out the points of interest. Suzumi saw the pattern first and gasped. As Baba added his last two, the others began to realize the shape on the map. There were some holes that could more than likely be confirmed, but the points of interest all surrounded important structural points of the island, coming to a head around the Tres Spades itself.

The room was silent, not even a breath echoing in the cavernous space.

"Does that mean…" she began hesitantly.

"There're explosives in my hotel," Eisuke spat, looking livid.

"I can have my men search the hotel," Soryu said, pulling out his cell.

Volkonsky spoke up. "This hotel is massive. My men can help as well."

Eisuke pulled out his hotel pager and began calling someone. It hadn't finished its first ring before the person on the other line picked up. Sitting close to Eisuke, Suzumi could hear the hotel manager, Mr Kenzaki, on the other end.

"I'm having men search the hotel. They will have orders to not to interact with guests but it is up to you and a select group of staff to keep the peace."

"Sir? May I ask what's happening?"

"I will inform you if anything changes. Be ready. We may need to evacuate."

There was a pause on the other end. "Understood. Do you want Miss Haruka a part of this group?"

"Yes, she's calm in stressful situations. Be on standby." Eisuke ended the call and turned back to Soryu and Volkonsky.

"Get them in plainclothes if necessary. Brief them of what we are looking for and let them know they are not to interact with guests. If there is a misunderstanding have them direct people to the main desk and Kenzaki."

Both mob men immediately began speaking on their phones, various languages passing through their lips. Suzumi caught Kishi's eye from the other end of the couch, frowning at the passive look on his face.

"What's wrong, kid?"

"How are you so calm?"

"I ain't. But I'm not gonna panic, either. What are you thinking? You have a complicated look on your face."

Sighing, she rested her chin in her palm, hunched over her knees. "I don't know what's going to happen if there are explosives here. Normally you call the police in a situation like this. But who do you call when the police aren't even the good guys?"

Kishi lit a new cigarette and took a long drag. He stared at Suzumi, taking in the slightly worried look she had on her face and her words. "You know by now there's no clear cut line of good and bad, black and white. You've known that for a while now. What makes you think even if the cops weren't dirty in this, that they could help?"

"Could they not?"

He shook his head. "Nope. This is national guard shit. But naturally, we're trying to handle this in house, so to speak. Depending on the type of explosives they've rigged, this could be easy."

"I'm a little concerned at your definition of easy. I mean, they're rigged to sink a damn island, Kishi."

"Doesn't matter what the target is. There's a lot of variables when it comes to that stuff. Trust me, I am a cop and all."

Suzumi made a noise in her throat, one that said she didn't find him impressive at all, before sighing. Between the two of them, Ota stopped studying the map and turned his attention to her.

"Are you worried, Sora?"

"I said to stop calling me that, Ota. And yes. I could be blown to bits any time now," she muttered, dodging Ota's hand as he tried to ruffle her hair.

"Panicking won't help," he said, trying to keep his smile on his face.

Suzumi huffed. "I'm not panicking. I'm pissed off. I don't want anyone hurt because of this."

"I won't let anyone sink this island. No one is going to take down the Tres Spades. And no bottom feeder is going to think they are superior to me." Eisuke's voice cut through their conversation, sharp and confident. The both turned to the businessman, surprise on their face. "We'll stop this from happening in less than forty-eight hours."

"Boss, you don't think that's a little ambitious?" Baba sighed and sat down his pen. He had been collecting full addresses and phone numbers to the places they knew explosives were planted.

Eisuke stood and crossed his arms. His cocky grin was gone, replaced with the set line of his jaw and a cold glare. "It's a promise."

Soryu finished with his calls first, glancing between the group still talking. "Inui and a half dozen are here now. They're searching the main levels and shopping. I left two at each entrance and more are coming"

Eisuke nodded. "I want your puppy and Samejima along with those who have helped with auctions in the past to check the subbasement."

Suzumi sat, thinking and ignoring the others as they argued. The night she'd attended the auction in her fancy cheongsam, she'd seen some odd things and people. It was hard to try and pinpoint if there was anything off that could have resulted in bomb materials being planted. What constituted as normal actions at a black market auction, after all. The I.V.C. would have been a great opportunity to plant something, what with the number of people gathered and the access to the subbasement and special ballroom that normally wouldn't happen for the public, no matter how elite they may be.

"You look like you're thinking very hard, Suzumi." Volkonsky finished with his own calls, stood behind her, a soft look on his face, contrasting the menacing features he'd had moments before. He spoke in Russian and nodded his head for her to follow him.

Standing, Suzumi followed the Russian to stand in front of the windows that showed the midday hustle and bustle of the city. "I suppose so," she said quietly, replying in the same language.

"Care to share?"

"If there really are explosives in the Tres Spades, they would have to have been planted a few days ago during the I.V.C.. I'm just trying to think about whether I saw anyone suspicious that night. Though admittedly, I had a lot on my mind and a lot happened in general."

Volkonsky nodded in understanding. "This is a good idea. Has any character come to mind?'

Suzumi frowned. "There was a lot going on. I saw Taichi Souma loitering around a few different times. Then there was his son Ren. He actually managed to get into the private staircase. But they could have had anyone plant them…" She paused, thinking. "Ren. I didn't see him mingling as much as his father. And they had a man with them; he's the one that took me in the lobby that night."

"It would be very easy for them as guests to gain access to that auction hall. It is an impressive size if I remember correctly."

Suzumi nodded. "I was intimidated, myself. I wonder if I could go look at it, too."

"You should ask. I doubt Soryu would deny you. There will be many Ice Dragons in the sub basement so safety can be almost completely guaranteed." Volkonsky gave her a small smile and patted her shoulder. It was this moment that Suzumi felt as though she saw Volkonsky as a father figure and the idea warmed her heart. "I know I couldn't deny you, if you were my granddaughter," he added with a bark of a laugh.

Soryu came up to them as they finished speaking, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You two have been talking for a while. I'm going to head to the office and explain the plan so far."

"Suzumi is an impressive woman. Her positives are remarkable, don't make her angry, Soryu. I hate to see her at her worst." Volkonsky laughed again.

"Mm," Soryu hummed. "Well, one day you can see her try to cook. Then you'll see her worst." The two men chuckled, causing her to blush.

"She was just telling me of some of her theories. You should let her go down into the sub basement with your men and look around."

Soryu frowned. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Samejima and so many of the others will be down there. I won't need a babysitter when the whole area will be flush with Ice Dragons. And thinking back to what I saw during the I.V.C., I'd like to check on some things."

"She makes a valid argument, you can't disagree." Volkonsky nodded as she spoke, looking sideways at the younger mob boss.

The three stood in silence, though both Volkonsky and Suzumi had slowly growing grins on their faces as they watched Soryu's face flicker in thought. There was a complicated look on his face when he realized he had no real argument and when he sighed, Volkonsky slapped him on the back.

"There, there. Good decision. She's sharp and she's had some good thoughts on the matter. It's safe here, Soryu. Plus, you've heard the phrase 'happy wife, happy life', right?"

"Wife?"

Both Soryu and Suzumi sputtered and quickly turned fire red. Soryu averted his eyes from either in front of him and embarrassedly scratched the back of his neck while Suzumi met the Russian's gaze and gaped as he winked at her.

"I have to meet the Bratva that are arriving now. Should I bring them here?" Volkonsky's face changed back into a business mask as he locked eyes with Soryu once more. Soryu straightened up and squared his shoulders.

"I would say yes, but confirm with Eisuke on your way out. He may have us all meet here or in one of the ballrooms. The Ice Dragons headquarters isn't large enough for the number of people we have all at once."

Volkonsky nodded and Suzumi watched him walk towards the hotel owner and speak with him in a low voice. The mask Eisuke had slipped on hadn't wavered in the last hour and it was with this situation and trial that they were going through that she could see he was a man made of something more. Steel or titanium, unyielding and unshakable. Next to her, she could hear Soryu sigh.

"Let's head down to the subbasement. I'll leave you down there, explain the situation to Inui and Samejima, and head out."

"Um, can I go change my clothes real quick?" Suzumi asked. She plucked at her shirt, left over from the day before and the only thing she'd had that morning when they'd woken up in his condo.

Soryu nodded and sighed. "Yes, sorry. Meet me here in ten minutes, then we'll head down. I forgot you hadn't been able to change like me. Perhaps we should put clothes of yours in the condo?"

A pale pink filled Suzumi's cheeks but she just nodded in response. "I'll be right back." Scurrying off, she left the penthouse lounge. Soryu watched her go and, after a moment, walked over to the couch where baba and Ota were marking points on the city map and Kishi sat, eyes half shut and puffing on a cigarette.

"I need a favor from you, Kishi."

Startled, Mamoru looked up to the mob boss, slackjawed. "Me? Why should I help you?"

"I need your help. It involves Suzumi."

/*\

Twenty minutes later, Suzumi found herself standing the in the bizarre mirrored room with Soryu, waiting as it slowly brought them down to the sub basement of the Tres Spades. Neither had spoken much on the walk from the 51st floor down to the hidden doorway on the main floor, Soryu distracted with phone calls and Suzumi internally trying to analyze the night of the I.V.C. from her memories.

"I'm going to let the others know you're down there with them," Soryu began." Suzumi glanced up and saw the slight worry on his face. "If you need to leave or are finished, ask Samejima to take you back to the main floor or, better yet, up to the penthouse suites."

"Alright, that sounds fine."

He gave her a side glance, brow raised. "You're being awfully obedient."

Suzumi pursed her lips, giving a slight pout. "I'm not that bad. Is that what you think of me?"

Soryu laid his large hand on the top of her head and smirked, saying nothing. The doors in front of them opened, showing the sight of dozens of Ice Dragons combing the reception all of the black market auction hall. Immediately, Samejima met them and bowed.

"Boss."

"Keep an eye on Suzumi. She can wander around but occasionally check in on her. She thinks she may remember something from the other night."

Samejima nodded. "Understood. And after?"

"Just show me the way back upstairs and I should be able to take it from there," Suzumi said, holding up a hand. "I don't want to take you away from work."

Both men locked eyes and Soryu gave the subordinate a silent command. The younger man nodded once and looked down at Suzumi. "We'll see."

"I'm going to head back up now. Call me if anything happens. Either of you." Soryu gave a soft pat to Suzumi's head one last time and, after a softer look her way, slipped his cold mask in place to glance at Samejima and walk back to the hidden entrance that lead to the main hotel.

"Where did you plan on starting?" Samejima asked after a moment.

Suzumi shrugged. "Are there places the Ice Dragons have already looked at?"

"Not particularly. We arrived about fifteen minutes before you and the boss did."

"Then I think I'll start on the main floor."

Samejima nodded again. "Alright. Call for me or use your phone if you need to. Inui, Jin, and a few others that you know are down here, too."

Half an hour later, Suzumi had only covered a third of the seats where patrons sat to view wares for sale. She'd started on the left portion and began the tedious work of looking around and under the middle seats when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Pulling it out and unlocking the device, she saw it was a text from Eisuke.

_I want you and Haruka together this evening. Come to the lounge when you're done searching for whatever you're looking for._

"Please, Suzumi. Do me a favor, Suzumi. I'm so grateful!" she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes. But despite her sarcastic reply to Eisuke, she didn't mind at all being with Haruka. Whether it was because of the short leash they were keeping on her to avoid something happening to Suzumi again like it did with Haruka, or if Haruka craved companionship, Suzumi was happy to spend time with someone other that the intimidating men of the Tres Spades.

Another hour had passed when Suzumi realized she didn't hear as many Ice Dragons talking like she had before. Slipping past the doorway that lead to back stage, she could see only a dozen left, going through the stage items with keen eyes and serious looks. She hadn't found anything in the seating of the auditorium nor in the mingling area outside the main hall. Her next spot was the hallway and staircase that lead to the private viewing box the bidders held for their own amusement and, after checking in with a slightly distracted Samejima, Suzumi headed over to the staircase she'd been shown before.

Just as she was about to push open the door, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Panicking, she grabbed the wrist and arm and, using the techniques she'd been shown weeks ago, she flipped the person on their back and sent them sprawling on the lush carpet.

"Damnit, kid!"

Mamoru Kishi wheezed out a handful of expletives, wrenching his body away from Suzumi's grip and unsteadily climbing to his feet. Brushing off his suit, he glared down at her and ran a hand through his hair.

"Oh my god. I'm sorry! You just… I thought…" Suzumi's eyes widened, realizing she'd basically assaulted the cop.

"Yer fine. Took me by surprise is all. You're a little jumpy."

"Can you blame me? It's nearly as quiet as death in here. I didn't even hear you! When did you get here?"

"Just a minute ago. Came to check in with ya." He pulled out a cigarette and, after lighting it, looked to the doorway she'd been about to go through. "You heading up to the box? Thinkin' something's up there?"

Suzumi shrugged. "Maybe. This is one of the places Ren was during the I.V.C. and at one point, he was alone until he met me halfway up on the stairs."

Kishi looked thoughtful a moment, scratching his chin. "Alright. Let's go look."

"You're coming with me?"

"You don't want me to?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't mind."

"Then let's go. Check the whole stair, the railing and the walls. I'll look under each stair step."

* * *

**A/N:** _Thanks so much for reading! Hopefully, you guys liked this chapter like the others. It got a little hot in here for a minute, huh? _

_I surprisingly get a lot of writing done when I'm on the road. I think between my time on planes and buses and stuff, I don't have much else to do *ignores the many routes of games she owns and hasn't played yet*. I have some great plot twists and stuff for the next two chapters and the story will get really fun and dangerous for the characters. I think I mentioned it last chapter, but this story will probably end around thirty chapters. _

_Don't forget to review and I'll see you guys when I post the next review gift story (which will probably be less than a week away. Realistically, even the next three days)._

_Best,_

_itakethewords_


	25. Favors Owed

**Author's Note:** _Hello! Hope everyone is doing well! Another chapter for everyone, so I hope you all enjoy!_

_If you didn't notice, the side story for 65 reviews is now up and it's called _Fire and Faith_. There are two other side stories, _Bookworm_ and_ A Red String_, and I think you should read those too! _

_I hope to get the next chapter out sooner than a month later, like these last ones. We're coming up on the _two-year_ anniversary of _Little Sparrow_ next month and I think it'd be fun to do something special. So if any of my readers has any ideas, let me know in a review or PM._

_As always, leave a review with your thoughts. Please enjoy!_

**Disclaimer:**_ I own Suzumi and my plot, but Voltage owns the men of the auctions, etc._

* * *

It's a game we can't escape  
But we don't have to let them beat us  
We can take control  
In the flames we find our freedom

**Ignite** \- Fireflight

**Twenty-Five**

During her time spent at the Tres Spades with the men of the auctions, Suzumi had had multiple encounters with each. She'd gotten especially close with Eisuke and Ota, who'd taken her under their wings like brothers. She was an only child in her old life, so she was foreign to the idea of what siblings were like. But if she had to guess, the protective and doting tendencies each had towards her fit the bill. However, one bidder she'd spent little time with alone was Mamoru Kishi.

It wasn't that she was afraid of him because he was a cop, nor that he was a man. It wasn't his smokestack tendencies or the fact that he was constantly sleeping up until the last couple of days. It was simply because he and Soryu didn't get along. It was natural to shy away from someone who made her loved one angry or irritated but from her experience, she could tell Kishi was a good guy. Other than the fact he enjoyed riling Soryu up, of course. But Soryu wasn't innocent in their interactions either.

Working with him in the VIP staircase was a new experience and Suzumi was pleasantly surprised that Mamoru was a diligent worker when he actually put effort into it. One staircase ahead of him, she was able to keep glancing down as he scoured the undersides of the stairs and the walls of the tunnel. His eyes were uncharacteristically sharp, his face taut with a searching concentration. Three sets up and she'd found nothing, but she wasn't exactly sure what she really was looking for. Did bombs look like they did in movies? In cartoons? A tangle of wires or just a big clock counting down? Dynamite sticks with red and green wires?

"Kid, you okay?"

Startled, Suzumi jumped, nearly teetering on the edge of the landing and only caught herself on Kishi's sleeve.

"Steady, there. Didn't mean t'startle ya." He grabbed her forearms to steady her and pulled her away from the edge. "You get distracted or something?"

Suzumi nodded. "A little. I got to thinking. I don't even really know what I'm looking for. What does a bomb look like?"

Mamoru shrugged. "Could look like anything. I dunno what this one looks like."

"What?!" Mouth agape, she couldn't help the twitch in her eye at his blasé words. "What do you mean?"

"Bombs, whether they're professional or homemade all look different depending on the materials made and who made them."

"But how are we going to find this one then? And the others in the city?"

Sighing, the detective patted his pockets for a moment, obviously looking for his smokes. Failing to produce anything, he let out a muttered curse and ran a hand through his hair. "There's gonna be somethin' in the building that doesn't look right. It might look stereotypical, it may not. But we'll know it when we see it. It will be outta place and if they wanna bring down the building, prolly larger than just what could fit in our hands. Let's keep going, I wanna head back to the penthouse soon."

Suzumi nodded and headed up the next set of stairs, running her hands along the railing and scanning each step. Just as she turned on the landing, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye and stopped. It looked like a forgotten item, something that would have fallen out of a pocket in the momentum of continuing up flights of stairs. That was her first thought as she turned her head away, but as the gears in her head halted, it was as if things clicked into place and she walked to stand over the black piece. Small, almost cube shaped, it looked as though it was homemade, the black looking to be electrical tape, but had several minuscule buttons on the face pointing to the ceiling. A tiny LED light blinked red every few seconds, reflecting off of the white wall near where it laid.

"Kishi?"

"Yeah?"

"Um, I think I found something."

It took him less than a moment to climb his way up to the landing where she stood stock still, eyes wide. When he followed her line of sight, he cursed and cautiously slid up next to the device. "Sonofabitch."

"Is that…"

There was a pause before he answered her, his voice harder than she'd ever heard it. "Yeah. This is a bomb. I got some good news an' some bad news. Whaddya wanna hear first?"

"Oh jeez."

"I'll take that as good news." He let out a sigh. "This is tiny. Couldn't do a lot of damage on its own. Not on the scale we were thinking at least."

Suzumi's eyes narrowed as she watched him try to analyze the small cube without touching it. "And the bad news?"

"Well, this probably means there's a lot more of them in the hotel."

"So…"

"So we need to take this, get it deactivated, and tell everyone what to look for specifically."

Frowning, she looked back and forth between the detective and the small bomb. "Are you calling someone in to come down and kill it?"

"Nah. I can do it. Can't really call anyone down to our illegal, black market auction hall, can I?"

Suzumi hummed in agreement.

"Take a quick picture or two of this thing. Go up to the box and call the others, send them all the photo, tell them what to look for and to not touch them til I get a good look at it. I need some quiet so I can concentrate." Mamoru watched as she got closer and took some photos at different angles. "There ya go, that should do it. Tell them not to call me, I don't want to get startled."

"Will it go off if you bump it?"

He shook his head. "Nah. Don't think so. It's set for a time, I think. That or remotely accessed. It would explain why none of us really paid it any attention the night that idiot tried coming up here." He ran a hand through his hair again. "Prolly fell out of his pocket when you flipped him on his ass. More than likely, he was supposed to plant it elsewhere and you proved to be too much of a lure."

"Let me know when you're done? Don't forget I'm up there and go try and take a nap, Kishi!" Suzumi half warned, half teased. She laughed outright at the offended look on his face.

"I do that and Oh will kill me. Don't worry yer pretty head. I'll come up when I kill this thing and we can head back to the penthouse. If it's what I think it is, maybe ten minutes. Go on, then."

Sitting up in the bidder's private box alone, Suzumi took a moment to collect herself. Breathing deeply, she tried to clear her mind before pulling out her phone and sending off texts to the guys filled with the three or four photos she took. The first person to call her was Soryu, which wasn't surprising.

"Are you okay? Where are you? Where was that? What are you doing? Are you okay?"

Suzumi couldn't fight the grin that lit her lips. "I'm fine. I'm in the private box in the auction hall. The bomb is in the stairwell where we caught Ren a few days ago. I'm waiting for Kishi to disable the bomb. And yes, I'm fine."

She could hear him audibly sigh in relief over the phone. "Are _you_ okay?"

"Mm. I'm fine. I'm just meeting with everyone going over details. This is what you're looking for in the hotel?"

"Yeah. Kishi says that there's got to be more of them in the hotel because of their size. Alone, one wouldn't do much. I'm assuming there might be a dozen minimum. Enough to be able to level the building."

"Make sure Samejima and Inui get those photos, too. They can pass the info on to the men in the hotel searching."

Suzumi nodded, despite knowing Soryu couldn't see her. "Of course."

"Good. Be careful, stay safe. Soon as Kishi gives you the all clear, go back to the penthouse or our suite."

"Eisuke said he wants me and Haruka together. I'm assuming to keep an eye on both of us."

"That's actually not a bad idea. I need to go. I should finish my meeting. I'll see you soon."

After saying goodbye, Suzumi sighed as almost immediately, another call started to come through. This time, the caller was Eisuke. She was surprised he hadn't called while she'd been talking to Soryu, but shrugged and answered the call.

It took less than a minute of single line answers to Eisuke's even shorter questions before she found herself talking to Mr Volkonsky and then Baba. Questions she could barely give answers to regarding the bomb itself, she told them only that Kishi was working on disabling it and that he'd have answers for them when he finished. She told them to not call him while he worked to be safe and they agreed and said they would tell the others and only Eisuke seemed irritated at the demand. After about fifteen minutes, filled with phone calls and text messages to the men in her life she'd seemed to accumulate, Suzumi heard Kishi knock on the door to the box before entering.

"All set, kid. We should get back up so we can try and find the others."

Suzumi raised a brow. "You really did mean you'd disarm it quickly. I'm surprised."

"Why the surprise?" he asked, tone full of indignation. His hand automatically went for his breast pocket but came up empty.

"I just forget you actually do things. I guess because every time I've seen you since I've come here, you're asleep. Or smoking. Or drinking. You know, not actually working."

"Shaddup! I'm a real cop, trained and everything!"

Suzumi laughed and pocketed her phone. "I know. Just, what's it called? Perception."

Mamoru sighed and, after running his hands through his hair, jerked his head to the doorway. "Let's get going."

Neither spoke until they got to the mirrored elevator room. The silence hadn't been uncomfortable or stilted, which surprised her. It made the decision she made all the more easier as she steeled herself to speak up.

"Kishi...Mamoru. I have a favor to ask you."

Mamoru's brows rose to hide under his bangs, unable to contain his surprise. Both at her using his first name to him for the first time as well as her asking something of him on her own. Trying to recollect himself, he muttered, "Today's the day for asking me favors, I guess." Louder, he responded, "What's that?"

"Teach me how to use a gun properly."

If he'd had his usual cigarette in his mouth, it would have tumbled from his lips and dropped to the carpet. His mouth and eyes open wide, Mamoru looked at Suzumi with complete surprise written across his face. When he looked down at the small woman, he saw the determined set of her jaw and her sharp gaze. Her eyes met his head on and she didn't look away when his eyes locked on.

"Yer crazy. You ain't got any business being on either end of a gun."

"But I was already at the barrel. Several times. Why shouldn't I have control?"

"Guns are illegal."

"Do you see who I live with?"

"No."

Suzumi sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Listen. Hear me out. I'm just randomly asking."

The room stopped and Mamoru, only paying her half a mind, reached over and opened the door. She watched as he poked his head out, looking for anyone lingering, and beckoned her to follow. They walked through the empty I.V.C. ballroom and, halfway through, he glanced her way again.

"What's yer reasoning?"

She stopped and, crossing her arms, explained. "I don't want to be some American gunslinger. But I want to protect myself. And I want to protect Soryu. The best thing to do for someone who is surrounded by something like guns is to teach them the proper way to handle them, the safety, the care. I can also lessen my fear if I understand what I'm afraid of more."

"Kid, you wilted when I first really met you and Oh had his gun out, remember?"

"I also freaked out every time a guy came near me. I've come to be comfortable around people again, especially men, in the last eight months," she pointed out.

Mamoru rubbed his chin, thinking. "Why ain't you askin' yer man to teach you?"

"Soryu would never even consider it. Especially not right now. He knows I've become a stronger person in many aspects, but I think in some ways, he sees me as fragile still. I mean… It is possible to remember things and take a step back, but I'm not who I was in the spring. I'm not an Ice Dragon and I don't have to be to be able to protect myself and those I care about."

"So why me?" He sighed, looking away.

Suzumi smiled a little, sensing him caving. "You're a cop. You're trained in everything about guns that I need to know. And I know you'll teach me right."

"Why's that?"

"Because if you don't and Soryu finds out you were the one who taught me, he'd kill you."

"He might kill me anyways," he muttered, shaking his head. "Fine." He held up a hand, to stop her from speaking. "But you listen to me. I'll git you yer own gun when I go out to run errands in a bit. I gotta go grab some of the few clean cops and git them in on this. When I get the chance, we'll practice."

"When?"

"Who knows. Ichinomiya has me runnin' everywhere and it will be rare to have Oh let you out of his sight. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe tonight. Could be next week." He shook his head, a crooked grin growing on his lips. "Who woulda thought that mousy kid who came all those months ago would demand I teach her how to shoot? Ya looked like you were gonna piss yerself when we all showed up in Oh's suite and he pulled out that gun."

Suzumi snorted, flushing in embarrassment. Mamoru put a hand on her head, ruffling her hair before pulling back and walking once more to the exit of the ballroom. "Let's go, kid. I need a smoke real bad now."

"Where's that bomb you disabled?" she asked, looking at his empty hands. He hadn't left it in the stairway, had he?

"In my pocket. Don't wanna carry it around like it's a cup of coffee or anything. I'll leave ya behind if ya don't hurry."

"Coming, coming! I have another question for you, Mamoru."

He sighed, acting annoyed, but his face showed nothing of the sort. "What's that?"

"Why did you come to check in on me? You've barely been around me alone."

Mamoru sighed and seemed to think about how to answer her. "I… It was a favor owed. Oh's always worried about you, you know. He does realize yer stronger, but he can't help himself, I don't think. He wanted me to check in on you in case you did find something dangerous. It's funny," he added, trailing off. As they walked to the penthouse elevator, he gave her a side eye and glanced up and down her body. "I little thing like you's affected him so much. Guy's a real ice block. Didn't care for women, didn't put up with a lotta nonsense, didn't really have conversation skills outta business. But he's different now."

Leaning against the glass of the elevator, the detective crossed his arms as he spoke. The two of them could feel the elevator climb as it rose past the lower levels and made its way to the 51st floor.

"The guy acts like a man now, not just a walking ice robot or whatever. It's a bit refreshing."

"You just want to tease him, don't you?" Suzumi chuckled. "I know you guys probably make jokes at him about me. Ota and Baba tease me in texts all the time."

Mamoru snorted. "I don't talk with him a lot like we're buddies. But it's come up once or twice when we're all there as a group. It ain't anything bad. Just guy talk," he added, seeing her frown. "But getting back to what I was trying to say… I think you lucked out when you wound up in Oh's hands. Didn't know he had it in 'im, but he's a good man to his woman. Didn't think a mob boss could have that kind of affection for someone. He practically dotes on you, I don't think, after this is all done, that there's anything he'd deny you if you asked. Lord help yer kids…"

"K-kids?!" Suzumi sputtered. Her entire face turned red and hid it in her hands. "S-shut up! We're not… Shut up!"

Kishi laughed hard at her reaction, bent over himself, hands slapping his knees. After a minute, with tears at the corner of his eyes, he quieted his howling laughter and tried to straighten himself from the less than dignified position he'd gotten himself into. Wiping away the moisture, he smirked at the still flushed Suzumi. "Sorry, kid. Couldn't help myself. Thinking of him corralling kids and then your reaction… Man. We're here, let's git to the lounge."

The elevator dinged at that moment and, after a heartbeat, the doors slid open, allowing both Mamoru and Suzumi to exit and make their way down the plush hallway to the bidder's lounge. Still red faced, but with her hands at her sides, she followed the detective and allowed him to enter the lounge first, following behind him silently. When they both walked in, only Eisuke was present in the room, hanging up from a call on his cell phone. When he glanced their way, ever so slightly he did a double take at her red face and narrowed his eyes.

"What happened?"

Suzumi refused to answer, pouring herself a glass of water from the sideboard and sitting as far away from Mamoru as she could, which happened to be in Eisuke's usual seat. The man raised his brow at the theft of his seat and glanced over to the detective, who was pacing in front of the windows as he lit a cigarette.

"Mamoru."

The man let out a puff of smoke, his shoulders sagging in relief as the nicotine started to course his system. He glanced at Eisuke before taking another drag off his lit cigarette. "I embarrassed the kid. She's just mad at me."

Eisuke shook his head, frowning. "Quit messing around. Let me see that damn bomb."

Striding to the coffee table while puffing on his cigarette, Kishi pulled out the square device and half tossed it on the glass. Taking a moment to glare at the seemingly careless way the detective deposited the deactivated the bomb, Eisuke hummed and poked it once or twice before picking it up. He examined it with narrowed eyes before looking to Suzumi.

"Where was this?"

"On the staircase leading to the private auction box. The middle landing where I had that run in with Ren Souma. It was against the wall, easily hidden in the shadows."

"Hmm, but you were with him the whole time on the landing?"

Suzumi nodded. "Yeah. I'm thinking he'd been planning on planting it elsewhere but it fell out of his pocket when I used that self defense and sent him sprawling. It explains the obvious, yet shadowed place where I spotted it."

"And why none of us had noticed it when we all left that night. None of us have been there since." Eisuke nodded, eyes slightly far off in thought. "Soryu called me. He told me they've found at least a dozen in the hotel already. Several in the auction hall and ballroom. Two in the lobby and four in the parking garage."

"They got guys disarming 'em or are they just guarding the things?" Mamoru asked, stubbing out his smoke.

Eisuke crossed his arms and looked to Kishi. "They have a couple men who are competent at defusing them. But we need more. Now."

Taking the hint, Mamoru packed his cigarettes in his jacket pocket and, after rolling his shoulders, headed for the door. "Kid, I'll keep my promise. Let me deal with this first, m'kay?" He looked over his shoulder to Suzumi, who nodded solemnly.

When the door shut behind him, Eisuke's eyes met hers. "Promise?"

She met his gaze head on, unblinking. "I want to know how to use a gun. I asked Kishi to teach me."

Unable to hide his surprise, Eisuke's brows shot up on his face, his mouth open in shock. "And you think that's a good idea?"

"I think it's an idea. I need to be able to do something."

"I think you've done plenty."

Suzumi shook her head. "It's not enough. You have bombs in your hotel because of me. Things get serious and it get's sticky, I won't be a damsel in distress. I've had just about enough of that over the last week." Narrowing her eyes, she broke contact with Eisuke and eyed her hands. "This might be a disaster, but I think asking a cop like Kishi is a good idea. He's trained and if I can't do it, I know he'll keep his mouth shut."

"That's very practical of you. And a little devious, seeing as you're not asking your boyfriend," Eisuke said, sitting on the edge of the couch, smirking at her.

"You and I both know Soryu would never let me get near a gun if he could help it. That'd be like trying to get milk from a rock."

He nodded in agreement. "You understand him pretty well. This is funny."

"What is?"

"Everything in the last eight months. It's been entertaining, to say the least."

Suzumi sighed. "I can't tell if I should be offended or not."

Eisuke just smirked before changing the subject. "Stay here. Haruka's shift ends soon and I want the two of you in Soryu's suite until this evening."

Suzumi was confused. Both she and Haruka were assets in the situation considering the familiarity with the hotel and the devices being searched for. "Wouldn't you rather we helped? She knows the hotel so well and…"

"No."

"You...you're planning something, aren't you?"

"What makes you think that?" Eisuke's face was blank, a cool mask as his eyes bored into her.

Suzumi smirked. "You think you're an enigma, Eisuke. I've got you figured out. I'll play fair for now. Mostly because I'm exhausted. But I don't want to miss out on any info in any meetings later."

"That's for Soryu and you to decide. Haruka will not attend. She shouldn't have even gone to work considering her arm."

"I told you it's fine. Doctor Kujo patched me up and other than the bandage, everything's normal."

Both Suzumi and Eisuke looked to the doorway to see Haruka coming in, still in the Tres Spades hotel maid uniform. Eisuke stood, meeting her halfway, taking her arm in his hands to examine.

"Eisuke, stop. I'm fine. Kenzaki made sure my duties were light today like I know you told him to. I'm more upset I can't change at my own place."

"You have clothes here. Go upstairs and change." Crossing his arms, the hotel owner left no room for argument in his voice. Haruka and he glared at one another for a moment before the maid sighed and walked towards the staircase leading to the 52nd floor. She gave a wink to Suzumi, giving her a quiet greeting for Eisuke's sake before climbing the spiral stairs.

Suzumi could barely keep her grin off her face as she watched Eisuke watch his girlfriend. He seemed unaware of anyone else's presence but hers as his brown eyes locked in on her movements. His attention didn't leave Haruka until the door to his rooms shut and she was able to count to six before he looked her way after that.

"What?"

She shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"You're grinning."

"I am. Anyway. I actually want to go wait in the suite. Send Haruka over whenever. I may go nap or something."

Eager to get out of the penthouse, Suzumi could feel the aura around Eisuke change and she knew if she hadn't been in the room, the interaction between he and Haruka would have happened very differently. Ignoring the hard stare Eisuke was giving her, she quickly stood and scurried to the door, pulling out her keycard to the suite before slamming the door behind her and crossing the hall to where she now called home.

Letting out a sigh, Suzumi leaned against the door for a moment, relishing in the silence. Other than quickly changing her clothes that morning, she hadn't been back in the suite for a day and it felt odd to spend so much time away from her space. Deciding to take a page out of Haruka's book, she decided to head to the bathroom and take what felt like a much needed hot shower.

/*\

Some time later and Haruka had yet to arrive, Suzumi knew her hunch was correct. She was with Eisuke and she was sure her ability to see how obvious the man had been worked in everyone's favor. Around dinnertime, she received a text from Kishi, which surprised her. She'd never gotten any correspondence from him, so seeing his name on screen was a shock, and not an unwelcome one.

_I got what you asked for. The meeting is supposed to happen in two hours downstairs in the ballroom. Oh is due back right before that. Meet me in the lobby in fifteen and I'll take you to a practice range._

Body springing up from the couch, Suzumi quickly changed from her casual clothes to jeans and a t-shirt and, after stuffing her feet into a pair of sneakers, nearly ran to the elevators. Heart hammering in her chest, she tried to contain the cocktail of emotion swirling inside her as she was taken down to the lobby of the luxury hotel. It took several extra moments as the elevator stopped several times for bystanders and guests to travel to various floors, from guest room levels to the shopping and dining floors. Each time the box stopped, she could feel the anticipation and slight irritation she had inside of her grow.

Ten minutes after she left the suite, Suzumi was standing near the grand staircase, one eye watching the people around her and the other keeping tabs on the staircase itself. She didn't know where Mamoru was coming from and the possibility of being ambushed or kidnapped again was still likely at this point. On her left, she could see the hotel manager, Kenzaki, greeting guests but still keeping an eye on her curiously. It was rare to see her on her own in the lobby, after all. And she was sure Eisuke had informed the older man of the happenings in the last few days between Haruka and herself and expected him and others on staff to be extra vigilant.

"Pay attention, kid."

Startled, Suzumi jumped a little and whipped around to see the detective on the last step of the staircase. "Kishi. You scared me!"

He grunted, "Good. Pay attention. Don't know what you were daydreamin' about but when you're alone right now, you gotta look sharp." Stepping down, he stood next to her and patted his pocket to ensure he had his smokes. "Let's get goin'. We only got an hour or so and the place is near the bay."

/*\

Both Kishi and Suzumi were in agreement on one major point when they got to the private shooting range. That she needed to know as much as possible about the gun he'd managed to get for her before she even attempted to take aim at a target. Given the situation, it was best that she knew how to conceal, aim, and what to expect when firing the small pistol. Surprised, yet somehow not, Suzumi noted that the older man was a good teacher. He was taking the situation seriously and made sure she understood what he was talking about with each technical term and when he pointed to various parts of the weapon.

"One thing you gotta remember when it comes time to use the thing, in order for it to do what it's supposed to, you gotta want to hit the target. That means you want to shoot someone. That you want to hurt or kill that person. You okay with that?"

Suzumi thought for a moment, holding the pistol in her hands as she faced the paper target. Next to her, Kishi had his arms crossed against his chest as he watched her with sharp eyes. The images of her time in the small room fueled her negative thoughts, those that gladly embraced the gun in hand. Her more ethical side wanted to set the gun down and back away slowly as if it was about to explode, but she held firm in her place.

"I'm okay with things ending how they should," she said firmly. "If I have to shoot Taichi Souma because he's going to kill Soryu or even you, I'll do it. Whether or not it's a kill shot, I don't know. I don't think I really have it in me for that. But if I can stop him before he extorts from others and destroys families, before he ruins the hotel and hurts any of my friends, I'll do what I have to." She turned to face Mamoru. "Give me the bullets."

With an appraising gaze, he handed her six and stepped back, allowing her to put her new knowledge to use. She could feel his eyes on her back as she loaded them one at a time, cocked the hammer, and aimed.

The sound of the bullets leaving the chamber and traveling across the room rang in her ears.

/*\

"You fine not being back before Oh?"

Suzumi looked up at Kishi as they walked down the hall to the suites and lounge. His eyes were already looking droopy, as if he was exhausted from their ninety minute outing. His hands were already pulling out the customary pack of cigarettes in anticipation for when they got back to the penthouse lounge.

"It's fine. I'm not a child. And we still have time before the meeting anyway."

He shrugged. "Whatever, kid." He ignored her glare and continued. "Just keep that thing somewhere safe until you think you need it. You'll get a good idea of the tonight at the meeting, I think."

"Well, I definitely don't want to have to carry it around for fun," she muttered. She stopped at the door to the suite she shared with Soryu. "I'm going to put this away. I'll meet you guys in the lounge, okay?"

"Do what you want, kid." Kishi chuckled.

Before Suzumi could insert her key into the door's lock, the door swung open and she found herself staring at Soryu's navy shirt and loosened tie. Craning her neck up, she could see his stern face and narrowed eyes watching every move she made as she automatically took a step back.

"Shit," Mamoru muttered. He pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips. "I'm outta here. Good luck, kid."

"Soryu," Suzumi said hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

Face unchanging, he took a step back of his own, indicating she come into the suite. When she cleared the entryway, he shut the door behind her quietly and stood staring at her, arms crossed. "Where did you go?"

"Go? I was with Kishi." Suzumi fiddled with the watch on her wrist nervously. She hadn't seen the look currently on Soryu's face since she'd first came to the Tres Spades and it made her heart race.

"I know. You didn't answer your phone. I looked at the security tapes and talked to Kenzaki.

Pulling out her phone, she could see she had several missed calls and unanswered texts from Soryu and she felt guilt drop in the pit of her stomach immediately. "Oh my god! I didn't even notice! I'm so sorry, Soryu!"

Soryu's frown deepened a little. "Why were you with that slacker? You've basically been with him all day."

"He said he had a favor to fulfill, then I asked him for one, too. That's all. Traffic was bad so we just ended up getting back later than I wanted." Suzumi shrugged and made to head to her room, ignoring the funny feeling she had in the back of her mind.

Surprised that he didn't follow her, she quickly stashed the pistol and holster that the detective auction manager had given her under the bed. Right as she stood and brushed the dust from her knees, the door behind her opened and she could immediately feel Soryu's presence.

"Sor-!"

His name caught in her throat, shoved back from her lips, she was silenced with the demanding crash of his lips on hers. Her immediate response was to open her mouth to protest, but she found her squeak of surprise morphed more into a moan as his tongue invaded her mouth. Hands grasping for something to hold onto, Suzumi buried her fingers in Soryu's shirt and pressed against him instinctively. The rough and urgent manner of his mouth kept her busy, her lips and tongue almost desperate to keep up with his and not be left behind. Before she could realize what was happening, she could feel the softness of her comforter and bed behind her legs and the force of Soryu pushing her backward.

"Soryu?!" Ripping her lips from their heated kiss, Suzumi called out his name in both confusion and desire. He didn't let his lips leave her skin, trailing down her jaw to her neck where he nipped a path to the juncture of her neck and shoulder and laved his tongue along her racing pulse. His hands squeezed her hips as he pulled her close enough to meld her into him.

"Soryu, what's gotten into you?" Suzumi gasped as his teeth nipped her again. "Slow down."

As if the fire that had lit inside him suddenly blew out with a gust of wind, Soryu's manic frenzy halted. "Suzumi," he breathed against her skin. His hands didn't leave her hips, but his lips did slow their pace, leaving a much lighter trail back up towards her mouth. Featherlight, he brushed his lips against hers before resting his forehead on hers.

"What's wrong? What's gotten into you?" Suzumi looked into Soryu's grey eyes, trying to discern why he would all but attack her in a frenzy. She could see the guilt resonate from his eyes before he closed them and sighed.

"Forgive me. I panicked." He moved a hand from her waist to her hair as he buried his fingers in her curls. "I saw you with that slacker and got very possessive."

Suzumi pulled back, a bewildered look on her face. "Possessive? But I'm not interested in him."

Soryu chuckled and smirked. "I know that. Still, you were with him all day and you seemed to be getting along so well…"

"Well, I'd like to get along with everyone. If we're together, we'll all be around each other in the future. I don't think conflict is the answer."

"True," he hummed. "But I had the sudden urge to mark you as mine. I was a little forward, so I'm sorry." He pulled away and, after glancing at her neck, smiled wider. "Get ready. We need to head down in a minute."

Suzumi raised a brow and, after thinking a moment, broke contact from Soryu and walked over to the mirror on the dresser. "Soryu! Seriously!?" Whipping around, she glared at the mob boss and slapped a hand on her neck, covering the developing love bites he'd left behind in his haze.

"What am I supposed to do about this? It's still summer, I can't wear a turtleneck!"

Soryu laughed, running a hand through his hair nervously. "I really am sorry, Suzumi."

Suzumi pouted, turning back to the mirror. "Get out of here. I've got to fix this somehow! You jerk!" She tried slapping him away when he pulled her into his arms, but her fight ended after just a second as she melted into his arms and let him hug her.

"Hmm, yes. I am a jerk for that. I should have saved that for down the road."

"Just go!" Suzumi couldn't hold back her exasperated chuckle and she gently shoved him towards the door. "Give me two minutes to cover this or I'll never hear the end of it from Ota."

* * *

**A/N:** _Thank you for reading! As a reminder, the next gift story will be __the 80th review! The 80th reviewer gets a story dedicated to them, written just how they want it!_

_Until next time, loyal readers!_

_itakethewords_


	26. Before the Storm

**Author's Note**:_ I'll keep it brief up here. If you want more, there will be another note at the bottom._

_For now, sorry about the big gap in chapters, please enjoy this one! _

**Disclaimer**:_ I own Suzumi and the plot, Voltage owns KBTBB and Co_.

* * *

Would you lie for me?  
Cross your sorry heart and hope to die for me?  
Would you pin me to a wall?  
Would you beg or would you crawl?  
Stick a needle in your hungry eyes for me?

_Trouble _\- **Halsey**

**Twenty Six**

"We found a total of forty nine explosives within the Tres Spades property. Those capable are finishing the disabling of the last sets. Overall, we had a bare bones crew looking here at the hotel, as most of our bodies are combing the island for the identified areas of planted explosives. Several have already been found and we are working on evacuating those buildings while we work on moving to disabling those as well."

Volkonsky stood at the front of the room, giving a brief summary of the current situation. His voice, accent somewhat thick, boomed across the smaller ballroom Eisuke had reserved for their large gathering. Standing at the front with him was Soryu who stood imposing and stone-faced, arms crossed, watching the room and the men in it. Just off to the side, Eisuke and Baba stood, waiting for their opportunities to speak.

Suzumi stood just off the side of the room against the wall, trying to guess just how many bodies had been packed into the semi-spacious room. It wasn't the largest party room the Tres Spades offered, but it was the one furthest from the main hub of hotel guests without directly taking the mobsters to the auction hall sub level. From what she could see, and accounting for what she couldn't, she gathered there were at least one to two hundred subordinates gathered and, if the older Russian was right, there were many, many more on the streets. She assumed another two hundred plus the connections Baba had brought in and the clean cops Kishi had brought up from the second unit, the entire ordeal sounded like it was involving five hundred. The idea alone sent her mind reeling.

"Are you okay, Suzumi?" Ota whispered. He stood next to her, arms crossed with an indifferent look on his face as he also took in the sights. "You look pale." His eyes kept skirting back to her, contrasting against the bored look he tried to keep.

"I'm fine. Just trying to think. The numbers are dizzying."

"Which numbers?"

"All of them. The amount of people called in. The number of bombs in the hotel. The info you and Baba managed to get us about the other bomb locations. This was well thought out."

Ota hummed in response, eyes watching as Eisuke made short work of what he had to say. His voice was deep, serious, and the hidden threat in his words as he warned the mob members in the room to avoid his guests sent a shiver down her spine. Suzumi tried to weigh who she was more afraid of, the mob or Eisuke, in her mind and couldn't come up with a solid answer.

"Do you plan on sticking to Soryu like glue or do you have a plan of your own, little bird?"

Suzumi stiffened at Ota's hushed question and slowly looked up at the artist. He had his body turned to face her more, looking directly at her now with arms crossed. "What do you mean?"

"Having Kishi teach you to shoot today? That was awfully brave. Your man's enemy and dealing with weapons… You've gotten a lot braver. I know Eisuke and Soryu have a plan, or at least they've talked about plans. But you're headstrong and, like Haruka, you've got a sense of duty. It's hilarious how those two have similar taste in women." Ota smirked, quirking a brow. "Now, what's your plan?"

"I don't know what you mean," she huffed, crossing her arms. "I should be asking you what Eisuke's plans are. He wants to use me, I'm sure."

Ota nodded. "I don't know specifics. But I heard him and Soryu arguing about using you as bait. You can guess how that went."

Suzumi pursed her lips, lost in thought. At the front of the room, Baba was going on about bomb locations and discussing splitting up groups with possible evacuation scenarios. Flickering her eyes towards Soryu, she could she he kept glancing her way, the look of curiosity on his face clear as day. Seeing her and Ota in the back of the room, whispering to one another had to have him asking a million questions in his mind.

"I wouldn't mind."

"Hmm? Mind what?"

"Being bait."

Ota frowned, glancing over to where Soryu and Eisuke now stood to the side, whispering amongst themselves. "It's a good plan. The guy seems like he's gone batshit over you and Soryu. Your obstacle is that tall, dark man over there, though. And it's dangerous. At this point, the guy sounds like he's lost rationality, he could lash out unexpectedly."

"Never thought you'd be discussing stuff like this, huh?" Suzumi chuckled, seeing the skeptical look on Ota's face grow.

"I've gotten used to a lot of things since joining the auctions. Stuff like this doesn't phase me too much, but when it's this level… It's a little unnerving."

"You sound like you're trying to stay cool. I wonder what you'd be like if you had a girlfriend."

Ota chuckled. "I don't do relationships, little bird." He placed a hand on her head and ruffled her curls. "At the end of the day, do what you think is right. Follow your convictions. It's what I told myself when I started doing art and here I am."

"Yeah… Thanks…" Suzumi couldn't help the bit of laughter that left her lips. At Ota's look of curiosity, she explained. "Sorry, I just tried to picture you with a girlfriend and for some reason, I thought of a dog collar and a frisbee. You'd be an awful boyfriend."

"Hey!"

"You'd need a girl to teach you how to be normal."

"Shut it. Go find your boyfriend. The meeting's over."

Suzumi stepped away from Ota, ready to make a beeline for Soryu, but stopped when she felt Ota's hand on her shoulder.

Leaning in close, he whispered, "Don't want him to leave a matching mark on that neck of yours because he sees us talking too long." He laughed when the flushed on her cheeks deepened and walked away.

/*\

"Eisuke, what's your plan?"

"Plan?"

The millionaire looked up at Suzumi from his seat on the couch, cup of coffee paused halfway to his mouth. It was the first moment he'd had to himself since the fiasco of bombs and revenge had started and he was put out that Suzumi was interrupting it. It had only been an hour since the late meeting of the mobsters and he thought he'd left Soryu and Suzumi in front of their suite door.

"I know you had a plan you wanted to use against Souma but Soryu probably is against it. I want to know what it is."

Eisuke ignored her for a moment, sipping on his hot coffee. Haruka had made it for him moments before Suzumi had slunk in and he was determined to enjoy it for a moment. His girlfriend was put out at being left out of the dealings, worried for Suzumi and the others, and, after making the coffee he'd asked for, went off to bed with a quiet goodnight. While he was enjoying the interesting turn life had taken in the last few months, he did not enjoy when Haruka was upset with him.

It took several minutes and almost the entire cup of coffee for Eisuke to answer Suzumi's request. "We would contact Souma, using you as bait. Lure him somewhere public, take him out."

"That's it?" Suzumi looked at him with a degree of skepticism.

"That's the gist of it. Soryu wouldn't listen to what the whole plan of mine was. Killing the man was just a part. There's a lot to clean up afterwards and I thought the Ice Dragons could be the leaders for those people out of the dark." Eisuke drained the last of his coffee and stood, buttoning his jacket. "He wouldn't hear of you being used, so that's when he stopped listening to me. I had to give him a dose of reality. He's more stubborn than I remember him being in our youth." He began walking towards the staircase leading to his private 52nd floor. "Go back to Soryu. It's late. Most of those mobsters are out now looking but our jobs start tomorrow."

Suzumi stood in place, eyes watching his movements. She felt a panic rise up within her and she couldn't help the yelp that came from her mouth. "Wait! Eisuke!"

The man paused, standing on the first step of the staircase. Without turning his back, he answered her curtly. "What?"

"I'll do it!"

Silence.

"I'll be bait. I'll do what it takes."

"You don't even know what my plan was. What if you get put in mortal danger? What if the chances of you being taken by him or dying are greater than that of a happy ending?"

Suzumi laughed hollowly. "What does my happiness mean if the people in Odaiba are blown up? And those women and children who were a part of that human trafficking? I am one person, wanting to help. To end the actions of a terrible man. If I get hurt but those people get to live, I accept that."

"Do you accept hurting Soryu in the process of that?"

Eisuke turned, his sharp eyes narrowing in on her. Reflexively, Suzumi took a step back but quickly planted her feet and glared stubbornly back at him. He crossed his arms, waiting for her answer.

"Soryu is well aware of what needs to be done for the greater good. I'm not going to purposely try and die but I won't hide in the penthouse, either."

Both pairs of brown eyes stared one another down, waiting to see who would be the first to cave. Despite the long day and the emotional roller-coaster that the week was shaping up to be, Suzumi couldn't find a shred of fatigue or weariness in herself. Her body hummed with adrenaline as she met Eisuke's bluff, her heart beating in anticipation. She blinked in surprise to see the older man sigh and look away.

"Come here in the morning. I'll send Haruka and she'll bring you up."

"Up?" Suzumi asked, confused.

"To the 52nd floor. We can't plan here in the lounge. Soryu, Volkonsky, and others will be here. Be up at six and ready a half hour later. This way you come with Haruka before Soryu is due over and we have time to plan accordingly."

Suzumi nodded, biting her lip.

"You look like you have something to say?"

"When did you want to… implement your plan?"

Eisuke's smile was less sardonic and more grim, full of foreboding that sent a shiver down her spine. "Tomorrow night. Is that a problem?"

Immediately, Suzumi knew the answer to his question, answering with a shake of her head. Nodding in satisfaction, Eisuke's smirk lightened a little and he turned back to head up the staircase to his private rooms.

"Go to sleep," he called out over his shoulder.

/*\

"Where did you run off to so late?"

Soryu was sitting on the couch, shuffling through papers that sat in front of him on the coffee table. He paused in his writing to stand and stretch his back, greeting Suzumi with a small smile. Suzumi paused for a moment, slipping her shoes off at the door and eying his body as he moved.

"Hmm? I went to thank Eisuke for helping us with everything. And to apologize for all the bombs in his hotel. I feel bad he's essentially been dragged into the situation. Do you want any coffee or tea?" She padded into the kitchen and began to put a kettle together for some boiling water.

She didn't receive a verbal answer, but the sound of Soryu coming to meet her in the kitchen told her his true answer. His left hand gently touched her shoulder, officially announcing his presence in the room. Looking up at him as she picked out a tea bag, she managed a facsimile of a smile and sighed as he hugged her from behind. Warm arms around her chest, Setsuna allowed herself to relax for a moment before continuing the task of preparing her beverage. She found it slightly difficult to move around the kitchen as Soryu refused to remove his arms, but she managed to get the kettle on and a mug down from the cupboard before she turned to face him.

"What's wrong?"

Soryu smiled softly. "It's surprising you're asking me that. I used to constantly ask myself that about you and even to you. Now you ask me."

"You're acting oddly affectionate," she said, running her fingers through his hair, messing up the once slicked back strands. "I'm not against it, but it's a little discerning to see you try and basically cuddle me."

She could feel his warm breath on the nape of her neck as he chuckled and she tried to control the flush that threatened to appear on her cheeks. He gave her one last squeeze as the kettle signaled the water's readiness and let go, taking a step back to watch her pour and drown the tea bag. Once she'd gotten to take a tentative sip, he took her free hand and led her to the couch.

"I know it's essentially stupid of me to ask. I have no right to demand it, question it, or really entertain the thought. But I wanted to still ask you," Soryu hedged, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. Suzumi could sense exactly where he was going, but kept quiet, allowing him to continue.

"Suzumi, stay here at the hotel. Stay away from where it's going to be dangerous. Please?"

His grey eyes turned to her and locked on, the intensity of his feelings coming through with his gaze. Suzumi could feel a tug at her heart, knowing that she had to deny him his request. She sighed and gently sat her mug on the coffee table. The sound echoed in the room.

"Soryu, that's not going to happen. And if you tried to keep me here, I'd run off to find you."

"I know," he said dryly, trying to fight off a smirk. Shaking his head, he reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "You've become a handful."

Suzumi smirked. "I've been known to make people have grey hairs in the past."

Soryu just grunted, pulling back his hand and standing. "It's getting late. I'd get to bed if I were you."

"Only if you're going to bed." Suzumi stood, crossing her arms. "I know there's a lot to be done, but you're doing a lot more work than me or even a lot of the other guys. You need to rest, even if it's for just a little while. Come to bed?"

She tugged on his hand and, after twining her fingers with his, attempted to lead him to his bedroom. He only gave her a moment of resistance, a look hesitance crossing his face, before he let the smaller woman lead him on. Once in the bedroom, she gently shoved him to the bed and stood before him, hands on her hips.

"Do you want a bath or do you want to go straight to bed?"

Soryu's mouth gaped open a little as he stared up at Suzumi, surprised at her somewhat commanding tone. As if they had a mind of their own, his hands reached out and gently pushed aside hers and gripped her hips. Pulling her forward, he rested his head on her stomach, eyes closed. The noise of surprise she let out reverberated throughout her body and he could feel the rumble against his cheek.

"Soryu, what are you doing?" Suzumi hissed.

Shifting his head so that he was able to look up at her and still make contact, Soryu could see her face flaming with embarrassment and he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. He buried his face against the fabric of her shirt for a moment, breathing in her scent and sighing softly before pulling back completely. His hands, however, stayed on her hips to keep her close at hand.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Suzumi."

Suzumi tilted her head thoughtfully, eyes meeting Soryu's. She watched the earnest emotions cross his face and felt a slight tinge of guilt at going behind his back to Eisuke regarding the confrontation. But her resolve was strong and she wanted the situation ended as quick as possible. Running fingers through his hair for the second time that night, she chose to smile.

"I care about you, Soryu. Of course I want you healthy, too. I think… I think I'd do almost anything for you." She blushed and looked away, finding their reflections in the mirror. Her face was reminiscent of a tomato, but both she and Soryu had soft looks on their faces, smiles on their lips and eyes filled with emotion.

"I meant what I said last week, Suzumi."

"Said?"

"_Da jie_," he whispered. He pulled one hand from her waist, taking her free hand and bringing the delicate fingers to his lips. Brushing his lips against her knuckles, Soryu let out a sigh.

"_Da jie_," she echoed, biting her lip, continuing to card her fingers through his dark hair. Bending down, she dropped a kiss on his forehead. Sighing, she straightened herself and pulled away slightly. "Let me go run the bath."

Soryu hummed in response, letting his hands drop and leaning back to lay on the bed. "Thank you, Suzumi. Much appreciated."

While the tub filled, Suzumi watched Soryu lay on the bed, his breathing even. The only indication that he hadn't fallen asleep was the movement of his hands as they scrubbed his face furiously in thought and the almost unintelligible murmurings that passed his lips as he spoke.

* * *

**A/N:** _So. First, this chapter is shorter than the last few. It just ends more natural this way. Sorry if it upsets anyone. _

_Second, my life has been a ball of chaos since Halloween both at work and personally. Work is usually chaotic because it's retail, but things there on top of that made it even harder. Then my depression and anxiety started up in August again and I am a mess. If anyone follows me on Tumblr, they'll see I'm there at least two or three times a day, but at the same time I'm not. I'm doing better than I was a month or two ago, but it's an uphill struggle. The struggle is real. _

_On a happier note, I recently fell in love with Yuri! On Ice. You all should watch this anime, it's lovely. _

_I hope to have another chapter up before the end of the year. Hope. I am climbing up a hill to overcome my anxiety that I am not a good writer and that has stalled me in writing and the courage to post. _

_For now, happy holidays to everyone and a Happy 2017 if I don't post before then! _

_Itakethewords _


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